{LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF 
CAL::  ORNIA 

!       SAN  DiEGO 


/f-Sn  /. 


AN  ANTIDOTE  FOR  TIRED  NERVES 


TRAIL  CRAFT 


AN  AID  IN  GETTING  THE  GREATEST 
GOOD  OUT  OF  VACATION  TRIPS 


By 

CLAUDE  P.  FORDYCE 

Associate  editor  of  Outdoor  Life;  Author  of  "Touring  Afoot; 
Member  of  the  Sierra  Club,  the  Mazama  Club,  the  Colo- 
rado Mountain  Club,  the  Mountaineer!,  etc. 


CINCINNATI 

STEWART  KIDD  COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS 


COPYRIGHT,  1922 
STEWART  KIDD  COMPANY 


All  rights  reserved 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 

THE  CAXTON  PRESS 
"Everybody  for  Books."   This  is  one  of  the  Inierlaken  Library. 


TO 
STEWART  EDWARD  WHITE 

Who  knows  the  ways  of  wilderness  trails. 


FOREWORD 

OCCASION  is  here  taken  to  express  appreciation  for 
the  co-operation  of  the  following  gentlemen  who,  as 
editors,  have  permitted  the  reprinting  of  my  articles 
which  have  appeared  in  their  respective  magazines: 
Mr.  Hy.  S.  Watson,  of  Field  and  Stream;  Mr.  Albert 
Britt,  of  Outing;  Mr.  Dan.  B.  Starkey,  of  Outers-Rec- 
reation; and  Mr.  J.  A.  McGuire,  of  Outdoor  Life. 

CLAUDE  P.  FORDYCE. 
Falls  City,  Nebraska, 

October  6,  1911. 


INTRODUCTION 

DEAR  DOCTOR  FORDYCE: 

I  am  glad  you  are  publishing  the  book.  All  your 
articles  on  the  out-of-doors  life  have  seemed  to  me 
practical,  sensible,  and  the  product  of  much  experience, 
plus  some  discriminative  thought.  In  book  form  they 
ought  to  be  a  great  help,  as  well  as  an  inspiration  to 
go  out  and  see  if  it  works.  That,  in  the  last  analysis, 
is  the  main  thing; — to  get  'em  out.  If,  in  addition, 
you  can  give  them  hints  that  will,  through  their  in- 
terest or  comfort,  keep  "em  out,  the  job  is  complete. 
Sincerely, 

STEWART  EDWARD  WHITE. 

May  10,  1911. 


CONTENTS 

Chapter  Page 

I.  Wilderness  Handicraft      -----       n 

II.  Outfitting  for  Go-Light  Trips     -    -    -       14 

Hi.  Motor  Camping  --------       27 

IV  Practical  Mountaineering  -----       38 

V.  Hints  on  Desert  Travel.    Part  i      -    -  44 

VI.  Hints  on  Desert  Travel.    Part  2     -    -       55 

vii.  The  Camp  Cuisine  -------  66 

viii.  Using  the  Reflecting  Baker    -    -    -    -       74 

ix.  Tents  and  How  to  Use  Them     -    -    -  83 

x.  Tent  Making  at  Home  -    -----  100 

xi.  Tips  on  Teepees  --------  104 

XH.  Utilizing  Balloon  Silk  in  Camp  -    -    -  1 1 1 

xiii.  Making  the  Recreation  Cabin     -    -    -  121 

xiv.  Taking  the  Place  of  the  Do -tor  -    -    -  132 

xv.  Uses  of  Adhesive  Plaster  in  Camp  -    -  148 

xvi.    Pests  of  the  Wilderness 160 

xvii.    The  Indispensable  Parka 169 

XVIIL  Game  Hunting  with  a  Camera  -     -    -  174 

xix.  Photographic  Developing  in  Camp  -    -  183 

xx.  Leather  Working  for  the  Outdoor  Man  193 


ILLUSTRATIONS  AND  DIAGRAMS 
AN  ANTIDOTE  FOR  TIRED  NERVES  -      -     Frontispiece 

Facing  Page 

THE  ART  OF  KNAPSACKING  14 

EQUIPMENT  FOR  HIKE  TRIPS 15 

MOVABLE  MOTOR  CAMPS 28 

MOTOR  CAMPING      -------29 

BLAZING  WILDERNESS  TRAILS    -  44 

MOUNTAIN  CLIMBING      -      -      -      -      -      -      45 

MOTORING  IN  DEATH  VALLEY    -  50 

TEEPEES    -      -      -      - 51 

STUCK  IN  THE  MUD     ------         60 

DEFEATING  THE  ARCH  ENEMIES  OF  THE  MOTOR- 
IST— SAND  AND  MUD       »      ....      61 

COOKING  IN  CAMP  66 

CAMP  STOVES    - 67 

BAKING  IN  CAMP  - 76 

TYPES  OF  TENTS 84,  85 

TARPAULIN  TENT        ------        102 

TENTS  You  CAN  MAKE  AT  HOME        -      -      -     104 
MAKING  THE  TEEPEE  ------        105 

HOMEMADE  NECESSARIES  FOR  THE  CAMPER        -     114 
HIKER'S  TENT  AND  PACK  SACK  -      -      -      -        1 18 

MAKING  THE  RECREATION  CABIN  -      -      -      -122 


ILLUSTRATIONS  AND  DIAGRAMS 

CABINS   -      --      -      -      -      -      -      -  126 

CHALETS  AT  Two  MEDICINE  CAMP,  GLACIER 

NATIONAL  PARK       -      -      -      -      -      -  127 

CONSTRUCTING  A  FIREPLACE      -  130 

FIRST  AID  ON  THE  TRAIL        -      -      -      -      -  148 

USES  OF  ADHESIVE  PLASTER  IN  CAMP      -      -  149 

GAME  HUNTING  WITH  A  CAMERA  -      -      -      -  176 

TROPHIES  OF  THE  HUNT      -----  190 

MOCCASIN  MAKING 200 


[10] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 


CHAPTER  I 

Wilderness  Handicraft 

THE  enjoyment  of  a  vacation  really  begins  with  the 
first  preparation  in  which  the  participant  makes  free 
use  of  his  own  skill  and  ingenuity.  The  long  winter 
evenings  inspire  the  dyed-in-the-wool  recreationalist 
to  reminiscences  of  the  past  and  to  a  delightful  anticipa- 
tion in  formulating  plans  for  the  next  season's  joy.  As 
spring  opens,  the  Wanderlust  permeates  his  whole  being 
at  the  accidental  mention  of  a  name  which  savors  of  the 
wilderness,  or  mayhap  by  running  across  some  item  of 
duffle  which  brings  out  the  old  outfit,  and  from  then  on 
delightful  hours  are  spent  in  rehauling  in  preparation 
for  use.  Never  a  season  has  been  spent  without  alter- 
ation— some  pet  foible  dropped  from  the  list  of  sup- 
posedly necessary  items  and  some  new  wrinkle  sub- 
stituted which  boils  the  equipment  down  to  that 
irreducible  minimum  which  the  touchstone  of  ex- 
perience has  taught  is  irrevocable. 

Wilderness  handicraft  defines  one's  ingenuity  dis- 
played in  making  with  his  own  hands  devices  which 
render  the  vacation  less  irksome,  and  this  skill,  per- 
taining as  it  does  to  the  primitive  pathways  of  the 
outdoors,  is  worthy  of  the  specific  term — Trail  Craft. 

I  n  J 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

Usage,  never  convention,  is  the  only  truthful  dictator 
as  to  what  is  essential  for  the  greatest  utility.  The 
selection  of  an  outfit  is  a  matter  of  individual  temper- 
ament based  on  experience.  What  one  calls  a  necessity, 
another  calls  a  luxury,  yet  this  same  luxury,  if  one 
wants  it  bad  enough,  forthwith  becomes  a  necessity. 
The  fewer  the  items  in  your  kit,  the  more  must  you 
have  knowledge  of  how  to  live  comfortably  outdoors 
and  how  to  employ  the  artifices  of  the  camping  art  and 
how  to  utilize  Nature's  primitive  stores. 

You  may  elect  to  hit  the  trail  "De  Luxe"  with  an 
expensive  and  elaborate  outfit  carried  by  motor,  which 
opens  up  a  vast  travel  range  and  which  permits  the 
indulgence  of  various  artifices  of  a  luxurious  civiliza- 
tion. Or  you  may  be  a  true  disciple  of  the  Red  Gods, 
going  light,  throwing  off  the  fetters  of  restraint, 
emancipating  yourself  from  the  world  of  subterfuge 
and  becoming  a  worthy  dweller  in  the  land  where 
Nature  has  been  undefiled  by  the  desecrating  hand  of 
man.  This  Nomadage  is  the  ideal  way  if  you  want  to 
"do"  the  trick  of  getting  close  to  Nature  properly. 
You  can  pitch  your  camp  wherever  night  overtakes 
you — today  near  the  tranquil  lake  which  stretches 
away  to  the  distant  hills  that  lead  up  to  snow-fields  and 
cloud-enshrouded  pinnacles;  tomorrow  establishing 
the  little  bivouac  in  a  clearing  encircled  on  all  sides  by 
the  unbroken  chain  of  silent  pine  forest. 

Following  the  trail  is  a  delightful  pastime.-  It  de- 
mands simply  a  personal  resolution  to  conquer  and  an 
adjustment  of  affairs  to  consummate.  Its  rewards  are 
manifold.  It  is  a  primitive  pathway  whose  following 
[  "I 


WILDERNESS  HANDICRAFT 

brings  one  to  the  inner  secrets  of  the  wilderness  hab- 
itants and  the  naive  beauties  of  their  sanctuaries;  it 
satisfies  the  body  and  soul  by  demanding  simple, 
hearty  living;  it  promotes  honest  companionship  born 
of  co-operation  in  enduring  hardship,  and  creates  a 
spirit  ever  responsive  to  the  Red  God's  Summons. 


CHAPTER  II 

Outfitting  for  Go- Light  Trips 

UNLESS  he  is  gifted  with  a  sustained  enthusiasm  for 
this  sort  of  thing,  the  average  individual  never  seriously 
entertains  the  thought  of  taking  a  hiking  trip  with  bed, 
shelter,  and  food  carried  on  his  back.  No — it  means 
work,  and  he  disdains  to  "scab"  on  pack  horses.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  knapsacking  means  no  privation  at  all 
if  one  is  properly  equipped.  This  avocation  of  be- 
ing pedestrian-amateur-explorer  is  the  best  way  of 
satisfying  those  mysterious  primordial  impulses  that 
guide  men  to  a  soul-satisfying  communion  with  Nature, 
and  the  work  supplies  just  that  physical  exertion  needed 
for  rejuvenation — a  physical  re-creation  which  most 
every  one,  and  particularly  the  sedentarian,  needs. 
There  is  much  to  be  said  in  favor  of  this  type  of  outing. 
It  turns  you  into  an  explorer,  thereby  developing  your 
initiative.  You  enjoy  absolute  independence  from  the 
conventional  outing  as  regards  locale  and  mode  of 
living.  Being  entirely  upon  one's  resources,  it  is  the 
ultimate  test  of  one's  ability  in  woodcraft  and  certainly 
is  a  key  to  one's  gaminess. 

A  check  list  of  one's  summer-hike  needs  is  the  only 
safe  guarantee  of  hitting  the  trail  with  a  complete 
equipage,  and  no  more  joyful  hours  can  be  spent  than 
the  winter  overhauling  of  one's  kit  anticipatory  of  the 
summer's  realization.  While  this  cataloging  is  of 
unquestioned  utility,  yet  it  is  apt  to  overawe  the  tyro 


THE  ART  OF  KNAPSACK  ING 

1.  and  2.    The  Duluth  Pack  Sack,  with  the  head  strap  and  center  suspension  shoulder 
straps,  is  best. 

3.  The  hunting  unit  for  the  knapsacker  requires  a  small  gun,  with  collapsible  stock, 

its  ammunition,  a  cleaner,  and  gun  grease. 

4.  The  silk  shelter  tent  is  weather-proof  and  yet  gives  the  acme  of  comfort. 

5.  The  chief  enjoyment  of  hike  trips  is  the  independence  they  afford. 


EQUIPMENT  FOR  HIKE  TRIPS 

1.  Outdoor  men  agree  upon  certain  indispensables  which  go  into  the  pockets — 

a  compass,  match-safe,  goggles,  first-aid  kit,  knife,  mosquito  dope,  and  an 
emergency  ration. 

2.  The  mess  kit  must  be  light  in  weight  and  compact,  a  small  sharp  axe  is  essen- 

tial, and  for  lights  a  candle  may  suffice  or  a  folding  lantern. 


OUTFITTING  FOR  GO-LIGHT  TRIPS 

into  the  belief  that  so  much  stuff  is  to  be  taken  that 
back  packing  it  and  enjoying  the  trip  at  the  same  time 
is  an  utter  impossibility.  Many  items  occupy  but  small 
compass  and  are  of  negligible  weight,  and  the  science  of 
going  light  is  to  get  the  essential  units,  such  as  bed, 
shelter,  clothing,  mess  kit,  provisions,  and  first-aid  kit, 
boiled  down  to  an  irreducible  minimum.  The  outfit  may 
contain  also  certain  optional  units  from  which  your 
choice  will  be  according  to  the  particular  needs  de- 
pending upon  your  temperament,  the  kind  of  country 
to  be  traversed,  whether  scenic,  game,  or  fishing;  hence 
we  may  well  include  for  your  choice  complete  data  for 
kits  for  photography,  hunting,  and  fishing. 

So  important  is  it  to  be  equipped  rightly,  that  it  is 
well  to  be  specific  in  recommendation  of  those  items 
which  are  deemed  best  for  use  as  integral  parts  of  an 
outfit  which  has  passed  the  "acid  test".  Recommenda- 
tions of  equipment  by  hikers  differ  because  there  is  no 
set  standard,  and  hence  are  referable  chiefly  to  individual 
preferences. 

Knapsacking  is  a  comparatively  new  game  and  it  has 
been  favored  with  but  little  published  data.  With 
this  detached  information  the  enthusiast  has  available 
but  little  organized  method,  and  that  is  usually  ac- 
quired by  actual  test.  "In  almost  every  art  experi- 
ence is  worth  more  than  precepts"  (Quintillian). 

The  following  notes  on  equipment  are  gleaned  from 
tryouts  of  commonly  used  items  with  a  view  toward 
their  particular  adaptability  in  making  the  ideal  knap- 
sacker's  camp,  where  portability  must  be  ultimate  and 
utility  paramount. 

The  foundation  of  go-light  camping  is  the  shelter, 

I  15  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

for  two  reasons — First,  your  trip  will  be  a  failure 
unless  you  are  comfortable — you  must  sleep  well  and 
be  protected  from  the  weather  and  insect  pests; 
secondly,  the  tent  and  sleeping  equipment  represent 
the  bulkiest  and  heaviest  items  in  the  pack  and  must  be 
reduced  to  a  weight  consistent  with  back  packing, 
without  sacrificing  the  utility  for  which  they  were 
intended. 

Sleeping  warm  demands  insulation  by  preventing  the 
dissemination  of  heat  waves,  and,  practically  applied,  I 
have  found  the  best  bed  to  be  patterned  after  the 
suggestion  made  by  Stewart  Edward  White.  He  recom- 
mends a  wool  felt  pad,  one  inch  thick  and  wide  enough 
and  long  enough  to  accommodate  the  shoulder  blades 
and  hip  bones.  His  blanket  is  of  loosely-woven  wool 
scarf  material.  But  wool  felt  is  hard  to  get.  One  may 
buy  a  wool  batt  at  a  department  store,  cover  it  with 
brown  muslin  and  use  it  to  make  a  thick  shoulder  and 
hip  pad  as  light  as  the  felt.  An  army  blanket  makes  a 
good  cover,  but  you  should  carry  in  it  some  cotton  as 
well  as  wool.  The  preference  of  members  of  the  moun- 
taineering clubs  is  a  wool-batt  quilt  covered  with 
brown  denim  or  muslin.  Since  many  trips  are  taken 
where  browse  is  hard  to  get  we  prefer  the  wool  pad 
underneath  in  place  of  the  browse  bag  as  suggested  by 
some  outdoorsmen.  The  bag  is  the  thing,  however, 
where  there  is  dependable  supply  of  hay,  grass,  straw, 
or  leaves  for  filling.  Some  like  an  air  pillow,,  but  a  small 
muslin  bag  into  which  you  put  odd,  soft,  duffle  items 
serves  as  a  pillow  very  well.  One  kind,  which  proved 
popular  with  a  mountaineering  crowd  in  Glacier  Park, 
was  my  knit  helmet  similar  to  that  which  the  soldiers 
[  16] 


OUTFITTING  FOR  GO-LIGHT  TRIPS 

used.  It  comes  down  over  the  neck  and  has  an  open- 
ing for  the  face.  Using  it  as  a  sleeping  cap  it  defies 
drafts  and  colds. 

The  desirable  bed  is  in  the  shape  of  a  sleeping  bag 
with  a  cover  which  can  be  opened  for  airing  and  drying. 
It  must  be  of  balloon  silk  with  waterproofing  on  the 
bottom  only.  My  first  sleeping  bag  was  too  small  and 
I  collated  all  the  evil  things  men  had  said  about  sleep- 
ing bags  and  heartily  wished  for  a  companion  to  aid  me 
in  getting  into  the  thing  by  the  assistance  of  a  shoe- 
horn. And  once  in  I  couldn't  bend  my  knees,  and  when 
I  rolled  over,  the  bag  and  bedding  went  with  me.  A 
roomy  bag  obviated  the  difficulties. 

Doubtless  the  most  indispensable  item  in  making  up 
light-weight  camp  equipment  is  balloon  silk.  It  has 
revolutionized  tent  making  and  allows  of  the  greatest 
freedom  in  a  display  of  ingenuity.  It  goes  into  the 
make-up  of  such  items  as  food  bags,  camera  cover, 
water  bucket,  etc.  The  latter  is  particularly  ap- 
preciated by  the  hiker.  It  is  simply  a  transformed 
9x1  o-inch  food  bag  with  a  wooden  embroidery  hoop 
sewed  into  the  top  and  a  tape  carrying  handle  at- 
tached thereto. 

My  favorite  pack  sack  is  the  Duluth  or  Poirier  style, 
whose  pattern  was  somewhat  modified  by  attaching  an 
axe  hanger  on  the  back  under  the  flap  and  extending 
the  open  top  of  the  bag  a  foot  or  so  with  a  puckering 
string  at  the  edge.  The  bag,  too,  is  made  of  balloon 
silk  reinforced  with  tapes. 

I  have  tried  every  tent  or  shelter  that  I  know  of  being 
recommended  for  knapsacking.  My  preference  is  the 
sportsman's  compac.  It  packs  lightly  (3^  pounds) 
I  17] 


and  is  sufficiently  roomy  to  accommodate  two  men. 
It  is  simply  and  quickly  set  up  by  staking  out  the  four 
corner  pegs  under  a  tree  and  is  suspended  by  throwing 
the  peakrope  over  a  projecting  limb,  or  on  mountaineer- 
ing trips  over  two  crossed  alpenstocks.  The  peak  is 
low,  but  the  tent  is  well  braced  against  storms  and  is 
particularly  adapted  to  open  country.  A  very  de- 
sirable feature  is  the  protection  it  affords.  The  floor  is 
sewed  in,  making  the  roof,  sides,  and  bottom  all  in  one 
piece,  thus  it  is  snake-,  bug-,  and  wind-proof.  Little 
windows  or  ventilators  allow  of  proper  ventilation  of 
air  when  the  tent  is  buttoned  up.  No  one  shelter  can 
be  said  to  be  so  adapted  to  use  in  all  kinds  of  camping 
as  to  be  called  the  best  all-round  tent;  but  for  the 
temporary  mobile  camp  of  the  hiker,  mountaineer, 
canoe  cruiser,  or  boy  scout  the  compac  is  the  scientifi- 
cally constructed  answer  to  our  needs. 

Possibly  the  rock  upon  which  are  wrecked  the 
ambitions  of  most  walking  enthusiasts,  particularly 
women,  is  improper  foot  covering.  Ordinary  street 
shoes  are  taboo.  Moccasins  or  shoe  pacs  are  right  for 
woods  travel,  but  for  most  walking  the  Munson  last, 
korry-krome  army  shoes  are  the  best.  It  is  refreshing 
to  note  the  reversal  to  sane  foot  covering  since  the  war. 
And  the  Munson  last  has  done  it.  Women  en  tour 
can  get  the  proper  shoes  as  offered  on  the  market  for 
boy  scouts. 

Specifically  the  shoes  must  be  a  size  larger  than  those 
needed  for  ordinary  street  wear.  This  is  to  accommo- 
date the  thick,  heavy  wool  lumberman's  socks,  which  act 
as  a  cushion  for  the  feet,  and  to  care  properly  for  wetness 
from  the  outside  and  perspiration  from  within,  to  pre- 
I  18] 


OUTFITTING  FOR  GO-LIGHT  TRIPS 

vent  blisters,  and  to  safeguard  against  chill  even  though 
one's  feet  are  soaked  in  snow  water  the  day  long.  Further 
specifications  are  that  the  shoe  must  have  a  soft  toe  cap 
and  a  broad  double  sole  extending  from  toe  to  heel. 
Have  your  shoemaker  put  on  this  extra  sole  and  stud 
this  with  Hungarian  cone-headed  hobnails,  a  row  just 
back  of  the  toe,  a  row  over  the  ball  of  the  foot,  and  a 
horseshoe  row  around  the  heel.  Where  much  slippery 
walking  is  anticipated  as  on  wet  logs,  grass,  or  rocks, 
we  carry  in  the  kit  ready  for  such  use  two  dozen  No.  7 
winged  lumberman's  screw  calks  with  a  small  wrench. 
The  sole  is  painted  with  copal  varnish  and  the  uppers 
and  welt  well  daubed  with  melted  cocoanut  butter 
three  parts  and  beeswax  one  part. 

Experienced  tropical  travelers  prefer  wool  to  cotton 
on  account  of  the  proper  insulation.  For  personal  wear 
experience  proves  to  be  best  the  knee-length  duxbak 
riding  trousers,  spiral,  wool  puttees,  army  wool  shirt, 
light  wool  undersuit  and  an  army  campaign  hat.  In- 
stead of  a  sweater  or  coat  a  cardigan  jacket  or  the 
Filson  cruising  shirt  of  forestry  green,  woolen  outing 
cloth  is  ideal  for  it  keeps  out  wind,  is  warm,  and  to  a 
certain  degree  waterproof.  A  commendable  feature 
of  the  Filson  shirt  is  the  double  back  which  can  be  used 
as  a  small  pack  sack  for  short  trips  and  numerous 
voluminous  pockets  with  snap  buttons  which  harbor 
many  items  which  one  wants  to  get  at  quickly. 

All  woolen  articles  except  the  quilt,  undersuit,  and 
shirt  are  waterproofed  by  lanolin.  Before  being  woven 
into  a  fabric,  wool  is  treated  to  remove  the  natural  oil. 
By  returning  this  oil  to  the  fibers,  they  will  not  swell  up 
when  immersed  in  water;  the  water  simply  interposes 

[  19) 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

in  the  minute  spaces  between  the  fibers  and  can  be 
easily  shaken  out. 

In  the  pocket  should  be  found  the  usual  indis- 
pensables  which  all  outdoor  men  carry :  a  waterproof 
match  box  for  emergency,  the  daily  supply  for  the  camp 
fire  and  pipe  being  carried  in  the  small  watch  pocket  in 
the  trousers  (the  general  supply  is  carried  in  a  pry-up 
lid  tin  in  the  pack),  a  jack-knife,  a  compass  pinned  to  the 
shirt  (be  sure  to  take  one  along  whether  you  think  you 
will  need  it  or  not;  it  is  good  to  refer  to  to  keep  in 
practice  for  the  time  when  you  will  need  it).  A  note- 
book with  pencil  will  contain  notes  on  cooking  and  room 
for  daily  jotting  down  happenings.  The  Burroughs 
Wellcome  Exposure  Calculator,  recommended  in  the 
photo  kit,  is  in  the  form  of  a  wallet  containing  also  a 
notebook,  pencil,  and  pages  for  the  exposure  record. 
A  common  blue  bandanna  kerchief  has  many  uses  from 
a  neckerchief,  a  hand  towel,  to  tying  down  a  hat  in  a 
hard  wind,  etc.  A  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  map  of  the 
region  to  be  visited  should  be  cut  or  folded  to  a  5x7- 
inch  size  and  slipped  into  an  envelope  of  celluloid 
secured  from  an  auto-top  maker.  Goggles  are  needed 
to  prevent  injury  to  the  eyes  from  sun  glare.  Amber 
(green)  glass  in  metal  rims  is  best,  as  this  color  soaks 
up  the  actinic  rays  which  hurt  the  eyes. 

The  first-aid  unit  is  carried  in  an  empty  tobacco  tin 
and  comprises  a  flat  packet  of  Z  O  adhesive  plaster 
(one  inch  x  one  yard)  to  treat  blisters  and  abrasions 
of  the  skin,  to  repair  the  rain  cape  and  a  possible  leak 
in  the  camera  bellows,  to  seal  baking  powder  tins  and 
photo  film  containers  from  moisture;  an  ampoule  or 
sealed  vial  of  aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia  for  inhaling 

[20] 


OUTFITTING  FOR  GO-LIGHT  TRIPS 

in  fainting  and  shock;  a  trench  tube  of  iodine  for  wound 
antisepsis;  a  vial  of  aspirin  for  colds;  a  laxative;  aseptic 
gauze  in  waxed  paper;  a  tube  of  analgesic  balm;  and  a 
snake-bite  kit.  This  last  is  a  wooden  tube  with  screw- 
cap  ends  which  have  at  one  end  a  quantity  of  potassium 
permanganate  and  at  the  other  a  small  lance.  When 
used  the  lance  is  sterilized  in  boiling  water  and 
then  used  to  make  a  crucial  incision  over  the  fang 
puncture,  and  the  permanganate  crystals  are  rubbed  in 
while  coffee  or  other  stimulant  is  given  by  mouth. 

Protection  against  rain  is  really  needed.  The  army 
poncho  is  commonly  used,  but  the  rain  cape  is  better,  as 
it  has  all  of  the  poncho's  good  points  but  protects  the 
arms  better,  slips  on  over  the  arms  and  pack,  yet  leaves 
the  arms  free  and  is  quite  airy  underneath.  It  reaches 
from  the  neck  to  the  knees  and  weighs  nineteen  ounces. 

In  summer  the  two-pound  axe  with  a  twenty-four- 
inch  handle  is  fine  for  a  real  wilderness  jaunt.  On  fall 
or  spring  trips  a  larger  axe  would  be  needed  in  view  of 
the  need  for  more  fuel  for  the  camp  fire. 

The  housewife  is  the  answer  to  first  aid  for  mending 
and  it  consists  of  a  leather  wallet  or  food  bag  contain- 
ing bachelor  buttons,  large-eyed  needles,  linen  thread 
wound  on  a  card,  sail  needles  and  waxed  thread  as 
used  by  the  shoe-sole  sewing  machines,  safety  pins, 
four  blanket  pins,  rubber  bands,  extra  shoe  laces, 
copper  split-end  rivets,  and  a  small  whetstone. 

The  wilderness  traveler  doing  photography  must 
work  under  adverse  light  conditions  occasionally  and 
must  take  a  tripod.  A  rapid  rectilinear  lens  will 
produce  good  pictures  if  you  use  it  right.  We  are  apt 
to  expect  too  much  from  the  fine,  expensive  anastigmat 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

lens;  we  will  use  it  for  most  work  at  f.  6,  8,  or  16,  and 
the  f.  4.5  is  good  for  the  reserve  light  power  we  may 
have  need  for  in  poor  lighting.  I  prefer  a  small  size, 
2^x3^  inches,  and  if  I  get  negatives  worth  anything 
at  all  they  are  worth  enlarging;  and  to  get  detail  for 
enlarging  one  must  stop  down  the  diaphragm  and 
prolong  the  exposure;  and  so  we  must  use  a  tripod. 

A  general  rule  for  an  amateur  is  to  stop  down  to  f .  16 
and  give  one-twenty-fifth  of  a  second  exposure;  but 
to  be  more  accurate  on  all  types  of  subjects  under 
different  light  conditions  use  a  Wellcome  Exposure  Cal- 
culator or  a  Harvey  Meter.  A  portrait  lens  is  needed 
for  close  work  on  flowers,  etc.  Experimenting  to  get 
the  proper  distance  between  camera  and  subject  should 
be  mastered  before  taking  the  trip.  A  ray  filter  is 
necessary  to  get  full  color  correction  in  most  scenic 
work.  The  light  in  deep  woods  is  hard  to  gauge  with- 
out an  actinometer  such  as  a  Watkins  or  Trilux. 
Camp-fire  scenes  are  happy  mementoes  of  any  camping 
trip;  they  are  taken  by  flash  and  we  prefer  the  flash 
sheets  to  the  powder  which,  if  spilled,  is  lost.  I  f  using 
roll  film,  order  that  it  be  put  into  waterproof  cartons  as 
prepared  for  the  tropics.  Film  packs  are  best  carried 
in  pry-up  tins  to  exclude  moisture. 

In  considering  the  hunting  unit  for  knapsack  trips 
we  must  use  a  special  gun  of  general  utility  and 
light  in  weight.  Stewart  Edward  White  has  the  right 
idea  when  he  states  in  The  Forest:  "During  the  summer 
months  in  the  North  Woods  you  will  not  need  a  rifle. 
Partridges,  spruce  hens,  ptarmigan,  rabbits,  ducks,  and 
geese  are  usually  abundant  enough  to  fill  the  provision 
list.  For  them,  of  course,  a  shotgun  is  the  thing,  but  since 
[^^\ 


OUTFITTING  FOR  GO-LIGHT  TRIPS 

such  a  weapon  weighs  many  pounds  and  its  ammunition 
many  more,  I  have  come  gradually  to  depend  upon  a 
pistol.  The  instrument  is  single  shot,  carries  a  six-inch 
barrel,  is  fitted  with  a  special  butt,  and  is  built  on  the 
graceful  lines  of  the  38-calibre  Smith  &  Wesson  revolver. 
Its  cartridge  is  the  ^^  long  rifle,  a  target  size  that  carries 
as  accurately  as  you  can  hold  for  upwards  of  a  hundred 
yards.  With  it  I  have  often  killed  a  half-dozen  of 
partridges  from  the  same  tree.  The  ammunition  is 
light.  Altogether  it  is  a  most  satisfactory,  con- 
venient and  accurate  weapon  and  quite  adequate  to 
all  small  game."  Mr.  White  likely  refers  to  the 
Stevens  make  of  gun.  My  personal  preference  is  the 
Game  Getter  of  two  barrels  each,  single  shot,  one 
barrel  handling  the  ^^  long-rifle  cartridge,  and  the 
other,  a  44  bullet  or  shot  cartridge. 

No  hiker  should  hit  the  trail  into  a  country  where 
there  is  a  possibility  of  getting  fish  without  at  least  an 
emergency  fishing  kit — short  rigged  lines,  hooks  and 
minnow  hooks,  the  barbs  cut  down  with  a  file 
one  half.  For  more  serious  fishing  the  kit  will  be 
governed  by  the  species  one  is  after;  if  for  trout  take  a 
suit-case  bamboo  rod  or  a  telescoping  metal  rod, 
a  single  action  reel,  narrow  pattern,  twenty-five  yards 
of  size  E  enameled  line,  a  half-dozen  best  quality  gut 
leaders  in  an  aluminum  case,  and  an  assortment  of 
flies  in  a  book,  and  several  split  shot. 

The  essentials  in  the  mess-kit  unit  are:  A  collapsible 
handled  steel  frying  pan,  nine-inch  size,  a  deep  plate, 
a  quart  bucket  with  a  lid,  a  common  pint  cup  with 
handle  riveted  on,  a  dessert  spoon,  a  fork,  and  for 
cutting  purposes  depend  on  the  jack-  or  sheath-knife. 

in  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

The  above  can  be  assembled  at  any  ten-cent  store. 
The  ordinary  fry  pan  handle  should  be  cut  off  to  a  two- 
inch  length  and  a  metal  ferrule  riveted  on  to  accom- 
modate a  stick  lengthener  at  the  camp  fire.  The  boy 
scout  outfit,  which  nests  compactly,  can  be  purchased 
in  aluminum,  which  is  in  every  way  desirable,  with 
the  exception  of  the  cup,  which  must  be  of  tin  to  pre- 
vent burning  of  the  lips. 

It  is  hard  for  the  average  amateur  to  provide  properly 
the  provisions  unit,  as  he  usually  makes  the  mistake 
of  trying  to  get  too  much  concentration  of  food  at  the 
expense  of  the  stomach.  Foods  for  the  hiker  must  be 
first  of  all  nourishing,  next  palatable,  and  lastly  must  be 
light  in  weight,  which  means  that  water  must  be 
eliminated.  Thus,  evaporated  vegetables  and  fruits 
are  a  boon  to  the  knapsack  traveler.  Recent  studies 
of  evaporated  foods  show  that  many  of  them  lack  the 
vital  vitamines  so  essential  to  health.  All  evaporated 
fruits  are  O.  K.,  and  evaporated  potatoes,  onions  and 
soup  greens  are  recommended.  We  figure  on  a  basis 
of  two  pounds  per  man  per  day.  The  components  for 
one  man  one  week,  without  fish  and  game  secured  en 
route,  would  be  as  follows: 

FLOUR  RATION  SEASONING 

Graham  flour 32  ounces  Sugar,  in  cubes.  ...  39  ounces 

Yellow  com  meal. .  16  ounces       Salt 7  ounces 

Baking  powder. . .  4  ounces 

Soup  powder 7  ounces  CEREAL  RATION 

Rice 16  ounces 

MEAT  RATION  Two-minute  oat  food . .  1 2  oz. 

Trimmed  bacon. . .  48  ounces 

Dried  beef 10  ounces  FRUIT  RATION 

Cheese  or  nuts. ...   7  ounces       Raisins 14  ounces 

Dessicated  egg.  ...12  ounces       Apricots 7  ounces 

Butter 14  ounces       Prunes 7  ounces 

Milk  powder 14  ounces 

[  14  1 


OUTFITTING  FOR  GO-LIGHT  TRIPS 

DRINKS  MISCELLANEOUS 

Milk  chocolate 14  ounces  i  plumber's  candle 

Soluble  coffee  powder  i  ounce  500  matches  in  pry-up  tin 

Tea  tabloids 21  tablets 

NOTES  ON  CUISINE 

Rice  is  one  of  the  most  compact  and  concentrated  of 
foods,  easy  to  pack  and  cook  and  very  sustaining.  It 
replaces  in  food  elements  potatoes  and  bulky  breakfast 
foods.  Cooked  with  raisins  by  adding  slowly  to 
furiously  boiling  and  salted  water,  and  cooking  for 
twenty  minutes  when  they  are  drained  of  water  and 
set  aside  to  steam  and  swell. 

Sugar  must  be  considered  not  alone  as  a  sweeten- 
ing agent  but  a  powerful  producer  of  heat  and  energy. 
It  cannot  be  replaced  by  saccharine,  which  bulk  for 
bulk  is  many  times  sweeter  than  sugar,  but  which  has 
no  food  value  and  will  upset  digestion.  The  cube  or 
domino  sugar  can  be  recovered  after  a  spill. 

All  powdered  rations  should  be  carried  in  balloon- 
silk  paraffined  bags;  egg  powder,  butter,  and  matches 
in  tins  with  pry-up  lids ;  salt  in  board  mailing  cartons, 
and  meat  wrapped  in  cheesecloth  and  waxed  paper. 

Excellent  soup  stuff  is  produced  by  taking  common 
canned  beans  of  the  corner  grocer,  spreading  them  out 
thin  in  a  broad  bake  pan,  drying  them  in  the  sun  or  in 
an  oven  without  scorching,  and  then  pulverizing  the 
crumbling  crust  and  packing  in  a  food  bag.  This  is 
better  than  the  pea-meal  soup  stocks;  it  makes  a  fine 
gruel  or  soup  and  the  nourishing  qualities  of  beans  are 
well  known. 

Plenty  of  washed  cheesecloth  provides  dish  cloths  for 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

the  commissary,  and  this  cloth  is  popular  with  mountain 
club  members  as  a  substitute  for  toweling.  A  bar  of 
good  soap  which  lathers  well  in  cold  water  and  can  be 
used  for  washing  woolens  does  duty  as  hand,  face,  and 
dish-washing  soap. 


CHAPTER  III 

Motor  Camping 

THE  popularity  of  vagabondage  a  la  automobile  is 
firmly  established.  One  need  not  reason  far  for  the 
causes:  Most  every  family  owns  some  sort  of  motor 
car  or  has  one  at  his  disposal,  which  solves  the  vacation 
problem  of  how  to  "get  there",  and  makes  the  high- 
way voyager  quite  independent  of  railroads,  hotels, 
and  garage  rentals — cheapening  travel.  Motoring 
America  is  awakening  to  the  necessity  of  good  roads, 
and  even  the  remoter  corners  of  our  scenic  wonder- 
lands, which  formerly  appealed  to  us  as  the  untracked 
wilderness,  are  now  feasible  for  motor  vacations. 
Finally  we  are  changing  as  a  race  of  sedentarians  and 
stay-at-homes  to  a  people  who  enjoy  the  outdoor  life 
and  realize  the  need  of  recreation  for  efficiency  and 
longevity — for  surely  Nature  is  a  better  tonic  and  re- 
juvenator  than  any  medicine  or  healing  "ism"  which 
man  has  contrived. 

This  combination  of  favorable  circumstances  has  so 
increased  the  travel  range  of  vacationists  that  re- 
mote landmarks  in  our  unrivaled  playgrounds  have 
become  cosmopolitanized  and  the  names  of  little 
streams,  bizzare  rock  formations,  canyons  and  the 
high  passes  of  towering  peaks  have  become  fireside  by- 
words. Statistical  data  from  the  seasonal  reports  of 
national  parks'  superintendents  surprise  us  in  their 
tabulations  of  the  great  numbers  of  motor  tourists  who 
[17] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

yearly  are  putting  the  "See  America  First"  slogan  into 
an  actual  accomplishment,  and  who,  by  doing  it  with 
gasoline,  are  seeing  things  right.  Cities  have  awakened 
to  the  equipping  of  special  parks  and  community 
accommodations  for  the  creature  comforts  of  these 
petrol  tourers,  and  prosperous  towns  have  sprung  up 
in  arid  waste  lands,  solely  on  account  of  their  being 
advantageous  supply  points  on  some  motor  highway. 

In  equipping  for  motor  camping  certain  precepts 
govern  our  choices  just  as  in  any  kind  of  camping. 
The  kit  must  be  suited  to  the  means  of  transportation, 
and  it  should  be  as  light,  compact  and  efficient  as  it  is 
possible  to  make  it.  With  its  weight-  and  bulk-carrying 
capacity,  the  motor  car  permits  the  use  of  an  outfit 
which  insures  comfortable  living,  particularly  for  those 
who  have  looked  upon  camping  in  general  as  more  or 
less  of  a  hardship  and  a  deprivation.  Yet  the  motor 
outfit  may  be  vastly  overdone — one  is  apt  to  take  along 
too  many  items,  and  his  choice  of  what  we  may  call  the 
essentials  is  woefully  unwise. 

Witness  the  daily  procession  of  motor  tourists  with  an 
occasional  flivver  moaning  under  a  load  of  duffle  more 
suited  to  a  truck — young  trunks  lashed  fore  and  aft, 
wire  bottom,  rigid  beds  reposing  alongside,  kerosene 
stoves,  which  should  have  been  left  at  home  in  the 
kitchen,  unsanctimoniously  toted  on  an  auto-run- 
ning board,  together  with  baby  chairs,  large  shovels, 
and  lengthy  canvas-covered  bedding  rolls,  heavy  bulky 
tenting  stuff,  and  long  poles  jabbing  the  landscape. 
Individually  they  undoubtedly  present  needful  parts 
of  our  kit,  but  they  could  be  easily  replaced  by  compact 
folding  equipment. 

1*1 


MOVABLE  MOTOR  CAMPS 

The  Amazon  Tent  (1  and  3)  is  ideal  for  the  motorist.    It  can  be  used  with  the  car 

or  alone. 

A  bed  and  tent  combined  (2) 
A  bed  slung  over  the  seats  (4). 


M      a 

—     £ 


<  -g 


II 


MOTOR  CAMPING 

Certain  indispensables  are  commonly  agreed  upon  as 
essentials,  hence  this  is  no  place  to  exploit  some  pet 
freak  in  the  way  of  a  camp  outfit,  but  rather  is  it  in- 
cumbent upon  me  to  tell  of  an  outfit  which  has  stood  the 
acid  test — one  which  has  served  me  well  on  week-end 
trips  near  home,  on  longer  summer  vacation  excursions 
in  our  national  parks,  and  on  a  year's  transcontinental 
and  coastal  tour,  and  one  as  suitable  to  a  week's  outing 
as  a  year-long  cruise. 

To  enjoy  camping  at  its  best  we  will  steer  clear  of 
hotels,  cafes,  and  garage  rents,  and  our  nighttime  camps 
will  be  found  in  some  timbered  valley  away  from  the 
business-frenzied  throngs,  and  this  means  that  one 
must  carry  his  own  bedroom,  shelter,  kitchen,  and 
provisions.  The  enjoyment  of  any  camp  trip  is  safe- 
guarded if  one  sleeps  well.  With  a  motor  car  we  have 
the  carrying  capacity  for  a  real  bed.  Some  enthusiast 
has  contrived  a  bed  to  rest  on  the  backs  of  the  front  and 
rear  seats  of  the  touring  car,  and  when  the  curtains  are 
adjusted  this  makes  a  cozy,  quickly  prepared  over- 
night abode.  It  you  are  camping  for  the  fun  of  it,  you 
will  take  more  time  for  making  camp  and  will  put  up  a 
tent. 

Most  all  auto  tents  are  fashioned  after  the  shanty  or 
baker-style  tent.  This  shed-like  contrivance  in  fabric  is 
equipped  with  an  awning  or  porch  flap  projecting  in 
front,  the  7X7X7-foot  size  providing  ample  sleeping 
space  for  two  cots  and  dressing  and  storage  room 
between — the  awning  extending  from  the  tent  to  the  car 
giving  ample  dining  or  lounging  space  in  inclement 
weather.  The  addition  of  a  front  wall  to  the  shanty 
tent  fitted  below  the  porch  flap  turns  the  baker  into  a 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

so-called  amazon  tent.  This  front  wall  is  held  in  place 
by  snap  fasteners  or  tape  ties  and  can  at  any  time  be 
opened  out  continuous  with  the  tent  walls  and  sus- 
pended with  tape  ties  from  the  edge  of  the  awning,  thus 
increasing  the  depth  by  a  hall.  This  style  of  tent  gives 
ample  head  room  in  front,  and  with  a  three-foot  wall 
does  not  interfere  with  the  cot-bed,  and  gives  sufficient 
roof  slant  for  shedding  rain.  It  is  pitched  facing  the  car, 
either  attached  to  the  auto  top  or  independently,  as  an 
open  camp  where  one  can  utilize  a  large  friendship  fire 
in  front,  reflecting  the  heat  back  to  the  roof  and  down 
to  the  floor. 

Many  people  like  balloon  silk  for  the  auto  tent,  but 
it  is  now  almost  prohibitively  high  in  price,  and  there  is 
really  no  need  for  a  light-weight  cloth  where  the  auto 
provides  the  transportation — far  better  use  a  ten-ounce, 
double-filled,  cotton  duck.  A  tent  of  closely-woven 
fabric  sheds  rain  fairly  well,  but  better  if  water- 
proofed, and  is  neither  so  heavy  after  a  rain  nor  does  it 
shrink.  A  good  formula  for  the  process  is  the  one  used 
by  the  British  Army,  and  described  in  a  past  issue  of 
Outdoor  Life  as  follows:  "Not  only  the  tent,  but  all 
guy  ropes,  must  be  processed.  Be  careful  to  have  the 
cloth  free  from  grease  and  to  soak  the  sizing  or  other 
filling  matter  out  of  new  cloth.  Remember  that  canvas 
or  other  cotton  goods  shrinks  about  ten  per  cent  when 
first  wet.  Thus,  a  seven-foot  tent  cloth,  square,  of 
new  goods,  will,  when  shrunk,  measure  barely  six  feet 
each  way,  even  with  clear  water.  Recipe:  Rain  water 
(tepid),  2  to  3  bucketfuls;  add  to  this  3  or  4  pounds 
of  sugar  of  lead  and  3  or  4  pounds  of  alum.  Soak  your 
tent  over  night  in  this;  in  the  morning  hang  out  to  dry. 
[30] 


MOTOR  CAMPING 

It  is  now  both  water-  and  fire-proof.  If  thoroughly  dry 
the  tent  is  also  mildew-proof.  All  water  proofing  has 
to  be  renewed  occasionally,  as  the  rain  slowly  dissolves 
and  washes  away  the  only  comparatively  insoluble 
mineral  salts,  alum  left  fixed  in  the  fibers  of  the  cloth 
by  the  sugar  of  lead  or  soap'" 

By  all  means  secure  collapsible  tent  poles  which  you 
can  carry  on  the  running  board.  Most  of  the  tent 
companies  make  them.  The  stakes  should  be  two  feet 
long,  of  pine,  ash,  or  spruce,  with  a  metal  ferrule  or  band 
on  the  end  to  prevent  splintering;  we  drive  them  into 
the  ground  diagonally  from  the  tent. 

Fall,  early  spring,  and  high  altitude  motor  camps 
frequently  necessitate  the  use  of  a  tent  heater.  For 
this  it  is  best  to  use  a  small  collapsible  camp  stove  and 
small  telescopic  pipe.  It  becomes  an  appreciated 
luxury  and  in  some  cases  a  positive  necessity.  Place 
the  stove  at  the  right  side  of  the  tent  as  you  enter. 
The  roof  hole  for  the  pipe  is  cut  out  twice  the  size  of  the 
pipe  and  a  piece  of  rawhide  sewed  in.  Cut  in  this  the 
right  opening  for  the  pipe. 

Some  makers  have  fashioned  a  combined  tent  and 
cot-bed  attached  to  the  running  board  of  the  car  and 
extending  out  to  uprights  which  also  support  the  tent, 
which  slants  from  these  up  to  the  auto  top.  An  ad- 
ditional fly  extension  to  the  side  provides  shelter  for 
cooking  and  dining.  Such  a  tent-bed  rolls  or  folds  up 
compactly  on  the  running  board,  where  it  is  carried 
en  tour. 

The  most  satisfactory  bed  rest  is  the  army  folding  cot. 
It  is  comfortable  and  raised  from  the  ground,  thereby 
protecting  from  dampness  and  crawling  things.  It  is 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

easy  to  set  up  and  folds  into  a  small  compass.  The 
wider  styles  are  the  best,  for  the  body  of  the  sleeper  in 
rolling  about  at  night  raises  the  bed  covering,  and 
through  these  air  gaps  cold  drafts  enter.  Some 
people  prefer  a  sleeping  bag.  Under  no  circumstances 
should  either  the  bedpad,  mattress,  or  body  covering 
be  of  cotton,  for  it  is  hard  stuff  to  lie  on.  The  batting 
mats  down,  gets  chunky,  and  does  not  dry  out  well. 
A  wool  comforter  folded  once  is  the  best  bed  pad — 
keeps  dry  and  fluffy. 

The  problem  of  sleeping  warm  is  to  retain  the  heat 
which  is  manufactured  by  the  body,  and  is  best  done 
by  covering  with  an  insulator,  wool  being  ideal. 
A  practical,  warm,  light-weight  sleeping  bag,  com- 
monly used  by  the  mountaineering  clubs,  consists  of  a 
wool  batt  quilt  covered  with  flannel,  folded  once,  and 
sewed  with  twine  into  a  bag  on  the  bottom  and  half 
way  up  one  side.  The  bag  cover  is  of  balloon  silk  or 
light  canvas.  If  you  care  not  for  a  sleeping  bag,  use 
wool  army  blankets  and  wool  comforters  with  a  wool- 
batt  pad  underneath.  But  stick  to  wool.  Some  fellows 
elect  to  sleep  directly  on  the  ground,  using  a  canvas  bed 
cover  with  blankets  and  pillows  within.  To  accom- 
modate the  angular  projections  of  the  human  anatomy, 
scoop  out  small  depressions  in  the  ground  for  the  hips 
and  shoulders.  Folding  tables  and  folding  high- 
back  chairs  or  small  stools  complete  the  requirements 
in  camp  furniture. 

Another  style  of  camp  is  the  trailer,  which  carries  the 
lodging  on  a  two-wheeled  separate  car.  When  the  tent 
is  set  up  on  this  car  with  the  bunks  on  either  side,  a 
roomy  kitchenette  remains  in  the  center.  It  is  very 

[3*1 


MOTOR  CAMPING 

good,  but  rather  expensive.  If  mosquitoes  bother,  the 
tent  front  is  covered  with  cheesecloth,  and  windows 
are  cut  in  the  sides  and  rear  and  covered  with  the 
cheesecloth.  Those  who  have  tried  the  regime  of 
breaking  camp  at  six  or  seven,  stopping  for  breakfast 
at  nine,  with  perhaps  a  light  lunch  at  one,  and  dinner  at 
five,  recommend  it  highly. 

For  cooking  utensils  and  provisions  provide  a  com- 
missary chest  to  be  carried  on  the  running  board.  It  is 
made  of  $-inch  stuff;  size,  26x20;  and  10  inches  wide. 
Wooden  cleats  are  placed  near  top  on  either  end  to 
effect  easy  removal  of  the  box  to  a  distance  from  the 
car  in  case  camp  is  pitched  thus.  In  this  chest  you 
carry  the  cook  kit  with  kettles  nesting,  and  comprised 
of  the  following  minimum  for  two  persons:  One  nine- 
inch  fry  pan  with  folding  handle;  two-quart  coffee  pot 
with  spout  and  bail  riveted  on;  a  two  and  four-quart 
kettle  with  lid,  granite-ware  cups,  deep  pie  plates,  and 
serving  bowls,  knives,  forks,  spoons,  butcher  knife, 
can  opener,  patent  egg  carrier,  soap,  Old  Dutch 
Cleanser,  dish  cloths,  collapsible  canvas  bucket  and 
wash  basin. 

If  an  open  camp  fire  is  liked,  use  a  camp  grid,  which 
is  a  heavy  wire  mesh  supported  at  the  corners  by  legs 
to  be  driven  into  the  ground.  This  type  of  fire  will 
accommodate  a  reflecting  baker,  with  which  you  can 
do  all  types  of  baking  and  roasting.  The  camp  stove  is 
preferably  of  the  gasoline  pressure  kind,  generated  with 
gasoline  or  wood  alcohol.  The  auto  camp  stove  is  the 
best  I  have  seen,  producing  a  powerful,  sootless  flame 
and  fitting  into  a  tool  box  on  the  running  board.  It  is 
easily  handled  and  can  be  carried  into  the  tent  if  so 
[331 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

desired.  Lighting  the  camp  at  night-time  suggests  a 
portable  carbide  lamp,  a  common  kerosene  lantern,  or  a 
folding  candle  lantern. 

In  computing  the  grub  list  we  are  allowed  canned 
goods,  which  are  taboo  in  other  camping,  where  trans- 
portation facilities  are  limited.  I  would  carry  in  the 
commissary  box  a  choice  from  the  following:  One  small 
can  of  tomatoes,  beans,  jam,  soup,  fruit,  and  six  cans 
of  evaporated  cream.  The  ration  list  for  two  men  for 
three  days  can  be  computed  on  a  basis  of  two  pounds 
of  food  per  man  per  day,  and  can  be  figured  for  any 
length  of  time  with  the  following  table:  Bread,  one 
pound  (or  corn  meal,  one  pound;  wheat  flour,  three 
pounds);  the  bread  carried  in  a  tin  can,  the  flour  in 
paraffined  balloon-silk  sacks;  fresh  meat  or  bacon,  ham 
and  dried  beef,  five  pounds,  wrapped  in  cheesecloth 
and  paper;  butter,  one  pound,  in  pry-up  tin;  crisco, 
one-fourth  pound,  in  pry-up  tin;  eggs,  one  dozen,  in 
patent  carrier;  sugar,  one  pound,  in  paraffined  sack; 
salt,  one-fourth  pound,  in  paraffined  mailing  carton; 
condiments,  in  original  tins;  cereal,  package  of  Two- 
Minute  Oat  Food  or  equivalent ;  potatoes,  five  pounds, 
and  one  onion  in  cloth  sack ;  cheese,  one-quarter  pound ; 
steel-cut  coffee,  one  pound,  in  pry-up  tin,  and  twenty- 
five  tea  tabloids. 

The  tent,  beds,  and  commissary  form  the  party 
supplies.  The  personal  outfit  includes  the  clothes 
worn,  dress  clothes,  and  extra  garments,  shaving  and 
other  toilet  requisites  in  a  good  fiber  suitcase,  allowing 
one  to  a  person.  Where  the  air  is  devoid  of  humidity 
the  skin  gets  dry  and  is  prone  to  blister,  the  hair  gets 
dry  and  the  nails  brittle,  and  cold  cream  frequently 
[34J 


MOTOR  CAMPING 

applied  gives  much  relief.  To  protect  the  eyes  from 
sun-glare,  provide  amber  (green)  goggles,  to  be  carried 
on  the  person  at  all  times.  Opticians  will  supply 
aluminum  cases  for  goggles. 

Better  roads  and  the  opportunity  of  garage  service 
at  frequent  intervals  along  the  motor  highways  have 
eliminated  the  necessity  of  an  elaborated  emergency 
equipment  for  the  automobile.  A  precautionary  outfit, 
however,  is  advisable,  especially  in  the  districts  west 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  where  settlements  are  few 
and  far  between,  the  weather  variable  and  sand  to 
be  encountered.  Extra  parts  for  the  car  liable  to  quick 
wearage  and  breakage  must  be  included.  Start  with 
four  new  casings  and  inners,  take  two  extra  new  casings 
and  four  extra  inner  tubes,  a  good  pump  and  jack,  a 
gallon  of  good  lubricating  oil,  a  can  of  cup  grease,  extra 
spark  plugs,  tube  repairs,  copper  wire  and  a  pint  of 
distilled  water  for  the  battery.  Bad  road  conditions, 
as  sand  or  mud,  may  call  into  use  on  a  long  tour  a  rope 
(fifty  feet  of  three-eighths-inch),  a  block  and  tackle,  two 
three-foot  wooden  planks  carried  on  the  running  board, 
an  axe,  a  spade,  and  a  fire  extinguisher.  An  extra  pair 
of  chains  is  good  to  use  on  front  wheels  on  wet,- 
crowned  roads,  as  one  may  be  broken  or  lost. 

Springs  get  hard  usage,  so  fit  the  car  with  rebound 
straps  and  rubber  bumpers,  and  carry  in  the  tool  box 
an  emergency  spring-repair  kit. 

On  desert  trips  one  should  have  an  extra  three-  or  five- 
gallon  can  of  gasoline  carried  in  the  Welscho  unit  for 
oil,  gas,  and  water  on  the  running  board  or  in  a  five- 
gallon  can  as  marketed  everywhere  in  the  West.  These 
cans  come  two  in  a  crate,  and  after  emptying  one  it  can 
[351 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

be  used  for  water  for  the  car  and  the  other  can  be  kept 
filled  with  emergency  supply  of  gasoline.  The  crate  is 
bolted  to  the  running  board.  The  water  supply  is  most 
important.  The  supplemental  supply  for  drinking 
purposes  is  best  carried  in  a  desert  water  bag  suspended 
in  the  extra-inflated  tire.  They  must  be  well  soaked  a 
day  before  the  trip  starts,  and  when  filled  with  water 
the  linen  cloth  fibers  allow  sufficient  slow  evaporation 
of  the  water  to  cool  the  contents,  enhancing  its  palata- 
bility.  One  experienced  tourist  in  the  mid-west  fills 
his  water  bag  at  each  county  seat  to  be  certain  of  a 
pure  water  supply. 

Sand  and  mud  form  the  greatest  obstacles  to  travel 
via  automobile.  In  operating  a  car  in  such  an  emer- 
gency, don't  speed  up  and  jump  the  clutch,  for  this 
simply  spins  the  wheels  and  sinks  them  deeper.  Much 
more  effective  traction  can  be  secured  by  retarding  the 
engine  and  slowly  engaging  the  clutch.  The  methods 
used  for  extraction  of  a  car  from  sand  are  to  use 
two  stout  canvas  strips  the  length  of  the  car  (an  old 
pully  belt  or  heavy-meshed  checken  netting)  with  large 
grommets  at  either  end  to  anchor  to  wheels  and  to  the 
ground  in  front;  to  deflate  the  tires  to  about  ten  to 
twenty  pounds'  pressure  to  get  greater  tractive  surface, 
and  to  wrap  the  tires  and  rims  of  the  wheels  with  heavy 
rope  to  gain  a  greater  hold  on  the  sand  than  can  be 
obtained  with  chains.  Apparatus  to  pull  the  car  out — to 
supplant  the  time-honored  mule — is  a  block  and'tackle 
or  an  adaptation  of  this — a  contraption  of  chains  and 
pulleys  worked  with  a  lever,  the  Spanish  windlass  and 
a  hub  drum  bolted  on  the  rear  wheels,  over  which  is 
[  36] 


MOTOR  CAMPING 

wound  a  rope  anchored  ahead,  operated  like  a 
capstan. 

Make  up  a  first-aid  surgical  and  medical  kit  to  go 
into  a  metal-bound  box  as  follows:  Three  iodine  trench 
tubes ;  vial  of  aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia  for  fainting 
and  shock;  absorbent  cotton,  one-half  ounce;  one 
square  yard  of  aseptic  gauze;  a  one-  and  two-inch 
gauze  roller  bandage;  a  vial  of  your  favorite  laxative; 
aspirin ;  a  roll  of  adhesive  plaster,  one  inch  by  two  and 
one-half  yards;  forceps;  scissors  and  safety  pins;  and 
a  screw-cap  metal  vial  of  mosquito  dope. 

The  list  described  or  suggested  for  motor  camping 
may  seem  large  to  one  who  has  never  hit  a  real  Western 
trail,  but  it  will  surprise  one  at  the  way  the  items  can 
be  stowed  away  into  small  compass.  On  short  trips,  of 
course,  many  things  may  be  left  at  home,  but  if  you  hit 
the  long,  long  trail,  be  prepared.  Motor  camping  is 
relatively  inexpensive,  replacing  as  it  does  hotels  and 
garage  rents.  It  is  a  most  pleasurable  form  of  out- 
door life,  permitting  a  vast  travel  range.  It  is  ad- 
visable to  rig  up  the  outfit  during  the  winter  months  in 
joyful  anticipation;  then  when  spring  comes,  to  rig  up 
the  car  for  a  trial  cruise  on  week-ends  and  holidays, 
setting  up  the  camp  and  cooking  meals  to  gain  pro- 
ficiency, so  that  on  the  long  tour  camp-making  becomes 
routine  and  not  an  unsystematized  distasteful  chore. 


[  37] 


CHAPTER  IV 

Practical  Mountaineering 

To  persons  of  sedentary  occupation  a  mountaineer- 
ing vacation  is  productive  of  wonderful  new  fields  of 
enjoyment.  Good  health  is,  of  course,  essential.  One 
should  never  attempt  a  high  summit  until  he  has 
tested  his  powers  on  a  number  of  comparatively  easy 
climbs  and  preferably  after  an  apprenticeship  under  a 
skilled  instructor.  Incessant  care,  even  in  doing  simple 
bits  of  mountaineering,  marks  the  expert.  The  real 
romance  of  the  craft  has  to  do  with  the  glaciers — 
combining  as  it  does  both  snow  and  ice  work;  the  rest 
of  it  may  be  catalogued  largely  as  rock-craft.  To  be- 
come a  proficient  climber  one  must  master  all  branches. 

Naturally,  the  main  difficulty  with  high  altitude 
work  is  that  of  muscular  exertion.  The  ascent  of  Mt. 
McKinley  presented  ordinary  obstacles  of  mountain 
craft,  but  getting  up  depended  on  a  gruelling  system  of 
back  packing,  so  much  so  that  in  ascending  the  twenty 
thousand  feet  altitude  of  the  peak  some  sixty  thousand 
feet  were  traveled,  by  reason  of  the  necessary  relaying 
of  equipment.  The  novitiate  in  mountaineering  will 
likely  attack  a  peak  which  comprises  but  a  day's  work 
or  so  from  the  base  camp,  and  thus  he  is  rid  of  much  of 
the  irk  of  relay  supply  packing. 

The  mere  effect  of  attitude  is  something  to  be 
reckoned  with.  One  unaccustomed  will  find  that  with 
very  little  work  he  feels  exhausted  and  that  efforts  to  ad- 

[  38] 


PRACTICAL  MOUNTAINEERING 

vance  are  painful.  Some  breathe  as  in  a  paroxysm  of 
asthma  and  continually  strive  to  relieve  the  chest  of  the 
weight  which  seems  to  load  it  down.  The  heart  runs 
like  a  trip  hammer  and  it  is  with  difficulty  that  un- 
willing knees  are  forced  onward  and  upward.  Fortu- 
nately, one  recovers  after  a  brief  rest  and  is  able  to 
proceed.  Indeed,  view  and  air  are  so  exhilarating  that 
exhaustion  is  only  temporary — one  feels  as  good  as  ever 
after  each  short  rest. 

The  personal  equipment  for  climbing  must  be  the  last 
word  as  to  what  is  best  for  efficiency  and  comfort.  Since 
mobility  is  the  criterion  of  walking  ability,  the  feet 
receive  the  first  attention  and  footwear  is  accorded  the 
.most  important  place  in  the  selection  of  an  outfit. 
Next  the  foot  one  wears  snug-fitting  summer  cotton 
or  silk  hose,  which  take  up  the  friction  between  the  foot 
and  the  outer  covering  of  heavy  all-wool,  knee-length 
socks.  Experience  has  proved  that  this  prevents  the 
formation  of  blisters  and  guarantees  proper  warmth. 
One  must  not  skimp  here  either  in  the  quality  or 
quantity  of  goods — the  socks  must  be  thick  and  a  good 
fit  without  wrinkles.  The  proper  walking  shoes  or  boots 
are  doubtless  the  hardest  article  in  the  equipment  to 
secure.  They  must  shape  easily  over  the  heavily- 
clothed  foot,  be  broad  at  the  toes  and  preferably 
without  a  toe  cap.  The  soles  should  be  one-half  inch  in 
thickness,  and  this  thickness  should  extend  from  the 
toe  along  the  instep  to  the  low  broad  heel.  The 
ordinary  walking  over  rocky  trails  is  death  to  leather, 
hence  Hungarian  cone-headed  hobnails  are  to  be 
studded  over  all  exposed  heels  and  soles  for  protection. 
Likewise,  the  hobs  are  necessary  to  prevent  slipping, 
[39] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

particularly  on  grass:  It  is  a  mistake,  however,  to  have 
these  nails  as  thickly  studded  as  is  common.  The 
correct  alpine  shoe  has  special  nails  clamped  out  over 
the  edge.  In  addition  for  ice  work  on  the  glaciers  and 
in  the  snows  of  the  higher  slopes  screw  calks  are  im- 
perative, and  a  set  of  size  No.  7  winged  lumberman's 
calks  with  a  wrench  is  tucked  into  the  pack  to  be 
ready  for  attaching  when  needed.  Only  a  thick  heavy 
sole  will  hold  these  calks.  A  height  of  six  inches  is  best 
for  the  mountain  boot.  The  leather  and  stitching  must 
be  first-class. 

The  underwear  also  should  be  of  wool,  and  of  a 
weight  suitable  for  winter.  Suits  should  be  of  such 
durable  outing  cloth  as  Forestry  green.  This  is  a 
warm,  wearable,  nifty  fabric,  being  made  up  for  men 
into  knee-length,  army-style,  riding  breeches  and  the 
army-style  or  the  excellent  Filson  cruising  shirt  with 
its  many  useful  pockets;  and  for  women  loose-fitting 
blouses  and  bloomers  and  take-me-off-on-the-high- 
climb  skirts. 

Most  any  old  floppy  hat  does  duty  in  the  mountains; 
it  is  only  strictly  specified  that  it  have  a  broad  brim 
and  be  able  to  shed  water — other  than  that  we  don't 
care,  so  long  as  the  other  fellow  doesn't.  A  soft  brim 
is  easiest  to  tie  down  in  a  hard  blow.  The  inclusion  of  a 
mosquito  head  net  and  cloth  gauntlets  guards  against 
insect  pests,  which  may  be  an  obstacle  harder  to  sur- 
mount than  any  problem  in  climbing  or  transportation. 

To  prevent  injury  to  the  eyes   from  snow-glare, 

amber  goggles  or  glasses  are  essential.    Bishop  Stuck, 

conqueror  of  Mount  McKinley,  found  those  of  amber 

tint  to  be  entirely  satisfactory.    The  frame  must  not 

[40] 


PRACTICAL  MOUNTAINEERING 

fit  over  the  eyes  to  the  exclusion  of  air,  because  of  the 
condensation  of  moisture,  and  on  no  account  use 
celluloid,  as  it  is  so  inflammable;  an  accidental  spark 
from  the  camp  fire  or  pipe  match  might  quickly  ignite 
it,  to  the  detriment  of  the  eyes.  No  metal  of  the  frame 
should  touch  the  skin.  Black  grease  paint,  such  as 
actors  use,  is  smeared  over  the  cheeks  as  a  protective 
against  snowburn,  and  a  liberal  supply  of  cold  cream 
is  then  later  used  to  remove  the  paint. 

In  the  pockets  should  be  found  a  good  jack-knife, 
a  compass,  and  matches  in  a  waterproof  matchsafe. 
Provide  for  carrying  lunch  a  light  rucksack  with 
shoulder  straps  having  single  point  suspension,  and 
adjust  it  so  as  to  get  the  center  of  gravity  low.  In  it 
you  will  carry,  among  other  things,  a  lunch  which  must 
be  concentrated,  portable,  and  capable  of  yielding  heat 
and  energy  and  intended  simply  to  tide  you  over  an 
emergency. 

Lack  of  sugar  will  be  noticed  more  than  any  other 
missing  article  of  food,  for  it  furnishes  heat  and  energy 
so  quickly.  Sugar  in  domino-shaped  cakes  is  easily 
toted  about  and  handled,  so  include  a  handful  in  the 
pack.  Caked  sweet  chocolate  is  another  popular  lunch 
item,  and  I  know  one  famous  mountaineer  who  swears 
by  common  seedless  raisins  to  the  exclusion  of  all  else. 

A  roll  of  adhesive  plaster  (one  inch  by  five  yards) 
will  prove  useful  in  many  ways;  a  tin  cup  of  one-half 
pint  capacity  is  handy,  and  such  photographic  equip- 
ment as  you  desire  will  all  pack  nicely  in  the  light 
waterproof  sack. 

About  the  neck  a  silk  kerchief  is  loosely  worn,  for 
convenient  mopping  away  of  prespiration  and  to  be 
[41  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

dried  by  sun  and  wind,  and  which,  as  you  reach  the 
colder  wind-swept  heights,  may  be  tied  over  the  hat 
and  ears  and  under  the  chin.  A  good  sweater  is  a 
further  safeguard  against  cold.  The  coat  cut  kind, 
and  of  thick  soft  wool,  is  best. 

On  a  pack-sack  trip  you  must  carry  lodging  requi- 
sites. The  heavier  pack  harness  or  Duluth  pack-sack 
is  essential  for  larger  loads.  The  camp  site  will  be 
wherever  you  find  a  level  spot  near  good  water.  You 
"hang"  your  hat  on  the  ground  or  jab  the  Alpen- 
stock in  the  dirt  as  the  sign  of  possession  (if  with  a 
party)  and  proceed  to  make  camp. 

A  shelter  is  really  needed  in  alpine  regions,  which  are 
so  subject  to  passing  showers.  It  may  be  simple  in  the 
extreme.  An  eight  by  nine,  water-proofed,  balloon- 
silk  shelter  cloth  is  quickly  suspended  with  the  aid  of  a 
light  rope  and  the  ice  axes,  or  you  may  use  one  of  the 
various  shelter  tents,  which  will  completely  fill  your 
wants. 

The  nights  are  cold  in  the  mountain  land,  the  ther- 
mometer often  registering  about  thirty  to  forty  degrees, 
and  often  there  is  ice  along  the  streams  where  morning 
ablutions  are  performed.  For  sleeping  purposes  blankets 
are  ruled  out,  as  they  are  too  heavy.  The  popular  bed 
is  a  sleeping  bag  made  by  folding  an  all-wool  or  down 
quilt  once  over  lengthwise  and  pinning  or  sewing  along 
the  bottom  and  halfway  up  one  side.  A  similar  shaped 
bag  of  water-proof  balloon-silk  covers  this  and  keeps  the 
heat  in  and  the  cold  out. 

What  we  may  consider  as  the  final  item  essential  to 
the  mountaineer's  walking  equipment  is  the  Alpen- 
stock. The  conventional  Swiss  ice  axe  is  not  in  general 

U*  ] 


PRACTICAL  MOUNTAINEERING 

use  by  the  climbers  of  our  West.  It  is,  however,  well 
to  have  one  or  so  in  a  climbing  party,  and  it  is  a  real 
necessity  if  steps  are  to  be  cut  in  the  ice  for  foot- 
holes.  In  a  party  headed  by  professional  guides  or  ex- 
perienced amateurs,  no  one  is  allowed  on  the  ice  with- 
out at  least  the  Alpenstock,  which  consists  simply  of  a 
garden-rake  handle  with  its  steel  ferrule,  to  be  pur- 
chased at  any  hardware  store,  provided  with  a  sharp 
steel  point  driven  in  and  held  by  the  ferrule.  An  inch 
or  so  from  the  opposite  end  is  bored  a  one-quarter-inch 
hole  through  which  is  secured  a  yard  of  rawhide  lacing, 
whose  free  end  is  looped  over  the  carrier's  wrist.  In 
use  it  is  kept  on  the  climber's  uphill  side  always.  On  a 
steep  slope  the  instinct  is  to  lean  forward  for  safety, 
but  this  is  fatal  to  your  balance.  Set  the  feet  firmly 
and  hold  the  body  vertical. 

The  exigencies  of  the  climb  before  you  will  determine 
the  need  of  a  rope.  The  beginner  may  be  forced  to 
cross  steep  glacier  slopes  or  crevasses,  when  it  is  well  to 
be  attached  to  his  companions  by  twenty  or  thirty  feet 
of  first-quality  rope.  Its  use  calls  forth  expert  team  work 
and  it  is  a  necessary  precautionary  measure  in  realizing 
the  urgency  of  safety  first.  The  rope  in  climbing  is 
your  lifeline,  and  its  proper  use,  though  simple,  calls 
for  close  attention  to  detail. 


[43] 


CHAPTER  V 

Hints  on  Desert  Travel 

PART  I 

THE  desert  is  a  land  of  extremes.  It  is  the  region  of 
sandy  wastes;  a  botanical  paradise  with  a  peculiar  flora 
which  thrives  in  an  apparent  absence  of  water ;  a  land 
of  remarkably  clear  air  and  lying  distances;  the  biding 
place  of  the  alluring  apparition — the  mirage  which 
mockingly  beckons  the  thirst-crazed  wanderer  on 
farther  into  the  dread  solitude.  The  uninformed  and 
poorly  equipped  adventurer,  who  attempts  to  blaze  his 
own  trails,  meets  with  unusual  perils,  turning  the 
primitive  pathway  into  a  Camino  del  Diabolo.  But 
the  desert  may  be  safely  traversed  by  one  versed  in 
desert-craft  and  who  knows  where  he  is  going.  This 
bizzare  region  is  our  last  frontier,  and  as  men  come  to 
really  know  it,  it  offers  novel  experiences  and  certain 
security  to  Touring  America. 

Desert  travel  has  been  so  accursed  that  in  the  past 
few  people  attempted  it  for  pleasure;  sometimes  they 
went  "in"  for  health,  since  the  dry  atmosphere  and 
higher  altitudes  bring  succor  for  the  cure  or  staying  of 
the  processes  of  certain  human  ills ;  explorers  in  search 
of  precious  metals  demand  a  minute  knowledge  of  how 
to  get  in  and  get  out  of  the  desert  alive,  and  hints  on 
desert  travel  are  of  particular  moment  to  the  vast 
army  of  motorists  who  yearly  cross  the  intermountain 
region. 

Persons  contemplating  a  desert  trip  are  particularly 
[441 


BLAZING  WILDERNESS  TRAILS 

1.  Blazing  trails  into  the  remote  mountain  wilderness  is  often  impossible  without 

knapsacking  to  the  rendezvous  at  the  base  of  some  peak. 

2.  To  guard  against  slipping  into  a  crevasse  the  alpinist  utilizes  his  alpenstock  and 

is  guarded  against  danger  by  screw. calks  in  his  shoes. 

3.  A  serac  bears  a  striking  resemblance  to  a  huge  ice  cream  cone,  but  it  is  a  real 

menace  to  the  mountain  climber. 

Photos  by  Harmon.     Courtesy  Canadian  Pacific  Railway. 


MOUNTAIN  CLIMBING 

1.  Experience  is  the  dictator  as  to  the  proper  dress  for  mountain  climbing. 

2.  Loose  rocks  are  an  ever  present  source  of  danger  to  the  climber. 

Photo  by  Harmon.     Courtesy  Cc.nadian  Pacific  Railway. 


HINTS  ON  DESERT  TRAVEL 

interested  in  the  present  status  of  desert  trails,  what 
perils  to  avoid  in  view  of  the  many  published  reports  of 
deaths,  what  particular  equipment  one  needs,  what  to 
do  if  lost  or  athirst,  and  how  to  extricate  a  motor  car 
if  stalled  in  the  sand. 

The  main  motor  trails  across  the  Mohave  and 
Nevada  deserts  located  in  Southeastern  California  and 
Southwestern  Nevada  (the  great  basin  with  its  sub- 
divisions known  as  the  Colorado,  Mohave,  and  Death 
Valley  regions)  are  fairly  free  from  danger.  The  road 
bed  is  practically  good,  it  is  well  sign-posted,  and  at 
advantageous  points  are  located  supply  stations  for  man, 
motor,  and  mule.  But  even  then  some  special  supplies 
are  needed  and  certain  items  of  emergency  equipment 
are  advisable.  Those  whose  business  or  bad  luck  takes 
them  off  the  beaten  tracks  must  know  what  perils  they 
may  meet,  how  to  avoid  them,  and  how  to  safely 
overcome  them. 

A  knowledge  of  the  topography  and  geography  of  the 
great  desert  is  the  first  essential.  Get  a  reliable  map. 
One  highly  regarded  by  prospectors  and  desert  travelers 
is  the  Fred  T.  Ferris  map  of  Riverside  and  San  Ber- 
nardino counties,  south  of  Death  Valley.  This  valley 
has  been  mapped  and  sign-posted  largely  through  the 
efforts  and  encouragement  of  L.  W.  Beck,  who  relates 
an  incident  to  show  the  needs  of  sign-boards  in  the  re- 
moter districts.  "Some  years  ago,  right  in  the  heart  of 
Death  Valley  I  found  three  men  stone  dead  at  the  base 
of  a  butte.  On  the  other  side  of  this  butte  only  a  few 
minutes  walk  from  where  they  had  died  was  a  living 
spring.  These  men  were  looking  for  water  when  the 
desert  killed  them." 

[45] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

The  trails  are  fairly  well  marked,  but  the  region  is 
treeless  except  for  an  occasional  oasis.  The  main 
routes  of  travel  are  given  in  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey 
Water  Supply  Paper  No.  224,  Fremont's  Trail,  the 
Old  Spanish  Trail,  the  Mohave-Keeler  Route,  Death 
Valley,  Bullfrog  and  Victorville  Routes. 

The  Southwest  has  a  diversity  of  altitudes  ranging 
from  several  hundred  feet  below  sea  level  in  the  Salton 
Sea  to  eleven  thousand  feet  altitude  on  some  of  the 
peaks  in  the  San  Bernardino  Range.  Dry  land  below 
sea  level  is  only  possible  where  the  evaporation  exceeds 
the  precipitation.  Such  spots  are  rare  and  only  found 
in  desert  regions.  Between  the  irregular  horizon  of 
rocky  elevations  are  the  desert  basins  where  the  land 
slopes  toward  a  central  depression.  They  have  no 
streams  to  carry  contributions  to  the  oceans,  but  all 
snow  and  rain  is  returned  to  the  atmosphere  either 
directly  or  into  lakes  or  so-called  "sinks". 

In  these  sinks  the  water  carries  mineral  deposits, 
which  in  the  dry  state  may  cover  several  inches  deep 
as  an  efflorescence  like  drifted  snow.  These  sinks  are 
desert  wastes,  shunned  by  all  forms  of  animal  life, 
and  only  inhabited  by  salt-loving  plants.  These 
chemical  sinks  are  known  as  dry-lakes,  playas  or  mud 
plains,  borax  lakes,  salt  lakes,  and  alkali  marshes. 

Desert  sinks  and  their  waters  are  of  interest  to  the 
traveler  whose  life  might  be  spared  through  a  proper 
understanding  of  them.  A  sink  is  a  great  evaporating 
pan.  If  rock-floored  or  it  has  a  confining  layer  of  clay 
or  fine  sand,  water  may  be  impounded  and  can  be  re- 
vealed by  very  shallow  digging.  It  is  best  to  dig  at  the 
edge  of  a  mud  flat  or  playa,  as  water  is  not  so  alkaline 


HINTS  ON  DESERT  TRAVEL 

there.  As  a  rule,  water  at  high  altitudes  comes  from 
rocks  free  from  alkalies  and  is  pure  and  sweet.  Mountain 
springs  are  small  and  the  majority  disappear  during  the 
drier  periods,  but  after  a  storm  water  is  abundant.  In 
lava  or  granite  ranges,  water  from  winter  rains  often 
collects  in  rock  bowls  or  "tanks"  and  when  in  shade  and 
protected  from  the  winds  may  not  be  evaporated  for 
months,  but  this  is  rare. 

The  difference  between  the  tropics  and  the  desert  is 
the  humidity  of  the  former.  In  the  desert  the  water 
is  so  scarce  and  the  evaporation  so  excessive  that 
unusual  dryness  results,  and  so  much  so  that  dead 
animals  when  left  on  the  ground  to  decay  do  not  wholly 
but  dessicate.  The  phenomena  of  hot  days  and  cold 
nights  is  explained  by  the  earth's  absorbing  heat 
rapidly  from  the  sun  in  the  day  time  and  giving  it  up 
at  night,  for  there  is  no  blanket  of  moist  atmosphere 
to  retard  its  escape.  The  average  desert  rainfall  is 
three  to  thirty  inches;  its  evaporation  is  one  hundred 
inches. 

The  desert  is  not,  as  the  uninitiated  might  suppose, 
a  monotonous  waste  without  verdure.  The  tourist 
on  his  first  visit  to  the  land  of  little  rain  finds  the  sandy 
stretches  literally  teeming  with  vegetable  life,  but  of  a 
flora  peculiar  to  the  region  of  intense  heat  and  a 
scarcity  of  water.  Except  at  water  holes  each  specimen 
is  separated  from  its  neighbor  by  several  feet,  for  the 
infrequent  desert  rainfall  is  not  sufficient  for  more. 
Desert  vegetation  is  the  only  practical  guide  for  the 
traveler  hunting  a  water  supply.  A  great  mass  of 
verdure  would  indicate  an  open  supply  of  the  precious 
fluid. 

[47] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

Particular  knowledge  of  certain  species  of  plants 
shows  the  possibility  of  obtaining  water  near  the 
surface.  One  plant  called  the  "well  of  the  desert" 
furnishes  a  potable  liquid  itself  and  is  really  the  most 
valuable  plant  the  desert  tourist  can  find.  It  is  the 
Bisnaga  or  barrel  cactus — cylinder-shaped  and  green, 
thickly  covered  with  sharp  spines  (desert  plants  have 
particular  protection  from  enemies,  either  they  are 
armored  with  lance-like  projections  or  contain  a 
malodorous,  bitter,  or  poisonous  sap).  Each  plant  will 
yield  a  gallon  of  cool,  rather  sweetish  but  quite  palat- 
able water  by  cutting  off  the  top  with  a  long-bladed 
knife,  pounding  the  center  pulp  forming  a  bowl  which 
quickly  fills.  This  plant  has  been  a  life  saver  for  many 
a  thirsty  traveler,  and  a  number  of  instances  are 
recorded  where  men  ignorant  of  its  properties  have 
died  of  thirst  in  the  midst  of  them. 

Tules  or  bullrushes  always  indicate  water,  generally 
of  good  quality,  at  or  very  near  the  surface.  If  one 
finds  a  dense  tangle  of  arrowweed  at  a  height  of  six  to 
eight  feet,  he  is  most  certain  to  find  water  if  he  digs 
underground  within  twenty  feet,  for  this  plant  exists 
only  near  a  water  supply.  Salt  grass  indicates  water 
near  the  surface  but  it  is  usually  brackish  and  not  very 
potable.  Vegetable  growths  which  advertise  a  lack 
of  water  are  creosote  and  others  of  the  greasewood 
family  all  growing  in  the  driest  of  soils.  The  omni- 
present mesquite  grows  profusely  if  near  a  water  hole, 
but  it  is  not  to  be  taken  as  a  guide  for  it  may  depend 
upon  periodical  flooding  or  ground  water  as  far  as 
fifty  feet  below.  Of  particular,  though  chiefly  scenic, 
interest  and  which  link  the  mind  of  the  traveler  in- 
[48] 


HINTS  ON  DESERT  TRAVEL 

separably  with  the  desert  are  those  silent  sentinels,  the 
giant  cacti  with  the  accordion  plaits  and  the  organ- 
pipe  cactus  or  saguaro. 

The  water  supply  on  the  desert  is  most  important. 
The  railroads  have  water  stations  every  ten  to  fifteen 
miles,  and  crews  have  instructions  to  give  help  to 
anyone  there  on  the  desert.  The  writer  on  a  motor  trip 
over  the  Mohave  Desert  found  water  easy  to  get  as  the 
trail  followed  closely  the  Sante  F6  Railroad,  but  gas 
stations  were  few  and  far  between,  and  one  experience 
taught  the  lesson  to  fill  all  tanks  to  capacity  wherever 
procurable  even  if  only  a  gallon  short.  The  multitude 
of  chuck  holes  retarded  the  speed  of  the  car,  necessitat- 
ing much  use  of  low  and  intermediate  speeds  and  con- 
suming an  unexpected  amount  of  gas  until  finally  we 
stalled  within  a  half-mile  of  a  railway  tank  station. 
We  were  ten  miles  from  a  gas-filling  depot.  While 
planning  to  leave  the  wife  in  the  car  armed  for  rattle- 
snakes, dust  storms,  and  tramps  and  taking  the  next 
freight  to  a  town  "back  there"  for  gas,  a  queer-looking 
outfit  drove  up.  On  a  chassis  had  been  rigged  a 
platform  on  which  was  carried  a  regular  dentist  outfit, 
and  the  driver  informed  us  that  he  was  a  dentist  making 
the  outlying  desert  towns.  He  gladly  spared  us  a  gallon 
of  gas  which  he  siphoned  out  of  his  tank  with  a  short 
rubber  hose,  starting  the  gas  flow  by  sucking  one  end 
of  the  tube. 

The  location  of  wells  and  springs  off  the  main  motor 
highways  must  be  mastered  before  anyone  starts  on  a 
trip.  An  inexperienced  man  should  never  enter  the 
desert  alone.  If  he  can  not  get  a  companion  who  is 
qualified  he  should  study  his  route  beforehand  and 

[49] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

gather  all  the  local  information  to  be  had,  then  proceed 
with  the  greatest  caution,  transporting  an  abundant 
supply  of  food  and  water  and  never  leaving  one  water 
station  without  a  definite  idea  of  the  next.  These 
water  holes  are  few  in  number  and  irregularly  dis- 
tributed, in  some  places  in  groups  and  elsewhere  thirty 
to  fifty  miles  apart.  A  detailed  description  and  mapping 
of  these  life-saving  springs,  wells,  and  irrigated  areas  of 
the  great  desert  of  California  and  Nevada  are  contained 
in  the  monograph  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey 
entitled,  "Some  Desert  Watering  Places". 

The  so-called  "Poison  Springs"  said  to  contain  arsenic 
have  been  reported  and  W.  C.  Mendenhall,  of  the 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  investigated  them  and  he 
states  that  in  not  one  did  he  locate  arsenic  but  instead 
large  quantities  of  Glauber's  and  Epsom  salts  (univer- 
sally used  laxatives),  which  the  waters  in  their  subterra- 
nean passage  took  up  as  a  solvent  and  then  issued  through 
fractures  in  the  earth's  crust.  These  salts  act  as  poisons 
to  the  famished  prospector,  who,  in  his  exhausted  and 
feverish  condition,  drinks  without  restraint,  which  is 
usually  fatal. 

Travelers  must  figure  on  two  gallons  of  water  per  day 
for  each  man,  and  a  proportionate  amount  for  horses 
or  motor  car.  It  is  best  carried  in  large  one-gallon 
canteens,  in  especially  constructed,  rectangular,  galvan- 
ized tanks,  in  twenty-gallon  barrels  or  casks.  The 
most  practical  way  and  suitable  for  wagon,  motor  car 
or  pack  train  is  the  five-gallon,  rectangular  can  in  which 
gasoline  is  marketed  all  over  the  West.  They  come 
two  cans  to  a  light  wooden  crate,  and  I  have  the  crate 
bolted  to  the  running  board  of  my  car.  I  keep  one  can 
[  50] 


MOTORING  IN  DEATH  VALLEY 

1.  Near  Ashford  Mill,  Death  Valley.     What  alluring  names  the  desert  offers- 

Death  Valley,  Funeral  Range,  Skull  Valley,  Furnace  Creek,  Dry  Lake,  and 
Poison  Springs.  Yet  there  is  a  lure  which  becomes  your  master  if  you  travel 
in  this  wonderland  rightly. 

2.  The  summer  shade  temperature  in  Death  Valley  reaches  as  high  as  130  degrees 

F.  and  July,  August  and  September  are  the  prohibited  months  for  travelling. 
Early  spring  or  tall  is  the  time  for  a  rather  nice  trip,  but  take  plenty  of  water 
and  provisions  along. 


TEEPEES 

Piegan  Indians,  Lake  St.  Mary,  Glacier  National  Park. 


HINTS  ON  DESERT  TRAVEL 

full  of  gasoline  for  emergency  supply;  empty  the  gas 
from  the  other  can  and  fill  it  with  water.  Cans  carry- 
ing gasoline  should  be  painted  red  as  a  distinguishing 
danger  mark.  The  advantage  of  the  five-gallon  cans 
is  their  ease  of  handling  and  the  small  loss  if  a  leak 
develops  and  you  are  carrying  much  water. 

George  Wharton  James,  in  his  Wonders  of  the 
California  Desert,  describes  the  unique  and  practical 
method  of  water  carrying  and  cooling  made  possible  by 
the  rapid  evaporation  of  surface  water.  The  liquid  is 
put  into  what  is  called  an  olla,  which  may  be  either 
a  porous  pottery  jar,  a  lightly  woven  Indian  basket,  or 
a  stout  canvas  bag  which,  when  hung  up,  is  in  the  shade 
where  a  breeze,  strikes  it.  The  slight  seepage  of  water 
which  filters  through  the  pores  of  the  vessel  is  enough 
to  moisten  its  surface  and  evaporates  as  fast  as  it 
gathers.  This  principle  is  fundamental  in  most  of  the 
modern  refrigerating  systems.  Water  thus  cooled 
tastes  refreshingly  good  and  is  perferable  to  ice  water 
as  a  beverage,  if  such  were  procurable  on  the  desert. 
The  Desert  Water  Bag  marketed  everywhere  is 
made  of  tightly  woven  linen  and  fitted  with  a 
bottle  mouthpiece  at  one  top  corner  with  a  cork 
stopple  and  a  sling  rope.  En  route  it  is  lashed  to  a  top 
bow  of  the  motor  car  where  it  swings  free  and  is  always 
in  the  shade  and  breeze.  Water  boiled  in  the  evening 
and  filtered  and  put  into  the  bag  is  found  next  morning 
to  be  cool  and  fine.  When  starting  on  a  trip,  this  bag 
must  be  well  saturated  to  swell  up  the  fibers  so  that  it 
will  not  leak. 

Procuring  water  on  the  desert  is  an  important  con- 
sideration for  the  tourist,  and  he  must  know  how  to 
I  5i  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

render  impure  water  healthful  and  potable.  Heat 
favors  abundant  and  rapid  growth  of  minute  forms  of 
animal  and  vegetable  life  in  waters  which  are  not  too 
saline.  All  such  supplies  should  be  boiled  a  half-hour, 
then  the  foreign  d6bris  filtered  by  pouring  the  boiled 
water  through  absorbent  cotton  held  in  the  cleansed 
hand  or  through  a  metal  funnel  taken  for  the  purpose. 
Remember  that  a  filter  is  only  cleansing,  not  purifying ; 
so  if  the  water  is  doubtful,  play  safe  and  boil  it.  The 
army  method  for  purifying  water  in  the  field  is  to  add  a 
chlorine  liberating  chemical  which  kills  the  germ  life  and 
then  passes  off  as  a  gas  into  the  atmosphere,  leaving  the 
water  pure  with  perhaps  some  harmless  debris  at  the 
bottom.  The  most  practical  application  of  this  method 
for  individual  use  is  the  chemical  marketed  under  the 
name  of  HALAZONE,  which  is  effective  even  in  dilu- 
tions of  i  to  500,000  parts.  One  Halazone  tablet  added 
to  a  quart  of  water  and  left  twenty  minutes  renders  a 
clear  liquid  safe  for  drinking. 

If  boiled  water  is  distasteful,  shake  it  up  with  a  little 
air  in  the  canteen — aerate  it,  in  other  words.  Alkaline 
water  is  most  commonly  found  on  the  desert  where  the 
precious  fluid  has  acted  as  a  solvent  to  mineral  deposits. 
It  can  be  made  potable  by  neutralizing  with  acid  after 
the  method  described  by  Horace  Kephart.  He  states: 
"When  traveling  in  an  alkali  country,  carry  some 
vinegar  or  limes  or  lemons  or  (better)  a  glass-stoppered 
bottle  of  Hydrochloric  acid.  One  teaspooriful  of 
hydrochloric  (muriatic)  acid  neutralizes  about  a 
gallon  of  water,  and  if  there  is  a  little  excess  it  will  do 
no  harm  but  rather  assist  digestion.  In  default  of  acid, 
you  may  add  a  little  Jamaica  ginger  and  sugar  to  the 

[  5*1 


HINTS  ON  DESERT  TRAVEL 

water,  making  a  weak  ginger  tea."  We  might  add  that 
this  tea  is  good  for  colic  resulting  from  drinking  alkali 
water. 

Frequent  drinking  en  route  is  harmful.  You  will 
get  greater  endurance  and  freedom  from  annoying 
thirst,  which  attacks  one  who  is  constantly  taking  a 
pull  from  the  canteen,  by  drinking  much  in  the  morning 
and  evening,  but  little  at  midday.  A  personal  canteen, 
such  as  supplied  to  the  army  and  procurable  from 
dealers  in  second-hand  army  supplies,  should  be  on  the 
person  at  all  times  even  if  one  goes  but  a  short  distance 
from  the  outfit  or  camp.  If  this  metal  bottle  is  felt- 
covered  and  is  kept  wet,  the  evaporation  will  cool  the 
contents.  Mixtures,  which  act  as  quick  revivers  of 
energy  and  at  the  same  time  are  nourishing,  are  raw 
oatmeal  or  milk  chocolate  and  sugar  in  water.  Both 
render  tepid  water  more  agreeable  to  the  palate. 

Getting  lost  amounts  to  a  genius  with  some  people, 
and  such  should  stay  off  the  desert  unless  they  are  with 
a  "personally  conducted"  excursion!  Others  are 
gifted  with  the  "bump  of  location"  or  geographic 
instinct  and  never  get  lost.  Losing  one's  way  is  the 
greatest  peril  of  the  desert,  consuming  time  and  the 
food  and  water  supply,  and  not  until  one  experiences 
it  does  he  come  to  really  know  how  mercilessly  the 
scorching  sun  seems  to  verily  dry  the  very  blood  of  the 
luckless  traveler.  Alkali  dust  adds  to  the  torture, 
parching  the  throat,  stinging  the  nostrils,  in- 
flaming the  eyes,  and  adding  to  the  thirst — a  com- 
bination of  circumstances  which,  no  wonder,  drives 
men  into  delirium.  It  is  panic  which  the  desert  traveler 
most  fears,  in  which  he  loses  his  sense  of  direction  and 
[  53  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

rushes  off  to  some  mirage  or  aimlessly  wanders  as  the 
dreams  of  his  disordered  mind  direct. 

In  desert  travel  the  map,  compass,  and  an  ample 
water  supply  are  the  essentials.  One  must  become 
used  to  the  unusually  clear  air  and  the  resultant  exag- 
geration of  details  which  make  distant  objects  look  near. 
One  should  pass  no  landmarks  without  studying  them 
from  every  point  of  view  for  possible  later  need  of 
recognition.  Travel  should  be  made  to  a  fixed  object 
such  as,  landmarks,  the  sun  by  day,  the  moon  or  stars 
by  night.  When  lost,  sit  down  and  study  the  map 
and  compass  and  try  to  orient  yourself.  If  you  wait 
until  night,  your  thirst  will  be  less  and  your  endurance 
greater.  A  signal  fire  might  help. 

A  desert  tour  has  no  terror  for  the  traveler  who 
stays  on  mapped  and  sign-posted  routes;  but  if  he 
unwittingly  gets  off  the  beaten  trails  and  gets  lost,  he 
should  be  acquainted  with  the  methods  which  the 
expert  desert  craftsman  employs  to  meet  the  emergency. 


[541 


CHAPTER  VI 

Hints  on  Desert  Travel 

PART  2 

DESERT  travel  for  the  casual  tourist  who  joy-rides 
on  well  sign-posted  routes  is  quite  safe;  but  men,  whose 
business  takes  them  far  into  the  desolate  wastes,  or 
persons  who  might  get  lost,  should  understand  what  the 
desert  has  in  store  for  them;  they  must  know  how  to 
meet  emergencies  and  they  must  carry  proper  desert 
equipment.  The  Automobile  Club  of  Southern 
California  has  done  sign  posting  in  the  desert  regions 
which  is  surpassing  in  its  completeness.  In  the  spring 
of  1911  they  placed  four  hundred  new  signs  leading  to 
and  within  "Death  Valley  on  the  south.  Their  repre- 
sentatives now  consider  the  one-time  unknown  and 
much-feared  expanse  rather  a  "nice  place  for  a  spring 
or  fall  vacation". 

Doug.  Rhodes,  who  posted  the  charting  work  in  the 
valley,  says  that  a  tour  into  this  region  during  the 
spring  months  equals  in  many  ways  a  trip  into  the 
Yellowstone.  Splendid  roads,  with  the  exception  of  a 
few  miles  across  the  "Devil's  Golf  Course",  make  the 
traveling  easy,  and  the  new  metal  signs  which  will  make 
the  valley  absolutely  foolproof,  will  in  all  probability 
draw  dozens  of  tourists.  Provisions  and  gasoline  in 
small  quantities  are  available  at  Ryan,  Shoshone,  and 
Death  Valley  Junction,  and  it  is  advisable  to  fill  the 
fuel  tank  to  the  top  before  going  in  between  Panamint 
and  the  Funeral  Ranges. 

[  55  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

Traveling  in  the  other  desert  country  of  California 
is  practically  the  same  as  it  is  in  Death  Valley,  only  not 
quite  so  hot,  according  to  Ernest  McGaffey.  July, 
August,  and  September  are  all  prohibited  months,  he 
states,  and  it  is  best  to  travel  two  automobiles  together, 
for  the  simple  reason  that  houses  are  pretty  few  and  far 
between  and  the  means  of  communication  somewhat 
limited,  and  such  difficulty  as  a  broken  part  requiring 
replacement  would  place  the  motorist  in  an  uncomfort- 
able position  unless  there  was  another  car  to  send  for  it. 
It  is  always  desirable  to  carry  plenty  of  drinking  water 
and  some  spare  provisions.  Spare  tires,  of  course,  and 
extra  gasoline  and  oil  must  be  included.  If  a  sand- 
storm comes  up,  lay  by,  and  don't  try  to  travel  in  it. 
Take  a  couple  of  shovels  along  to  dig  out  with  if  neces- 
sary. There  are  water  holes  along  the  roads  at  places, 
and  these  are  marked  with  the  signs  of  the  Automobile 
Club  of  Southern  California.  Traveling  in  the  winter 
months  or  early  spring  is  safe  enough,  if  these  pre- 
cautions are  taken. 

A  party  going  fifty  miles  into  an  uninhabited  desert 
region  must  take  along  everything  needed,  to  the 
minutest  detail — which  means  water  and  food  for 
people,  water  and  gasoline  and  oil  for  motor  cars,  and  if 
there  are  horses,  hay  and  grain  and  water,  for  there  are 
but  few  places  where  such  can  be  secured.  In  selecting 
groceries,  follow  standard  grub  lists  with  much  tinned 
stuff  if  transportation  facilities  permit.  Certain  items 
are  especially  good  for  desert  travel — canned  tomatoes 
are  a  good  substitute  for  water  and  quench  the  thirst 
better ;  allow  a  good  supply  of  evaporated  cream  which 
counteracts  the  irritation  of  the  digestive  tract  caused 
[  56] 


HINTS  ON  DESERT  TRAVEL 

by  alkaline  water.  Exclude  such  thirst-producing 
things  as  beans  and  salted  meats.  It  is  well  to  have  a 
tent  fly  to  protect  from  the  sun  in  daytime  and  possible 
dew  at  night.  Folding  cots  are  best  as  they  keep  one 
off  the  ground  away  from  reptiles,  otherwise  use  a 
cowboy-style  bed — a  canvas  sheet  long  enough  to  go 
under  the  bed  and  fold  back  over  the  head  as  a  protec- 
tion in  sand  storms  which  often  become  quite  violent, 
but  which  go  down  with  the  sun. 

If  you  expect  much  walking  provide  yourself  with 
double-soled  shoes,  twelve  inches  high  and  a  size  larger 
than  those  used  for  street  wear  to  accommodate  a  pair 
of  thick  wool  socks  acting  as  a  cushion  for  the  feet. 
Light  weight  all-wool  underclothing  equalizes  temper- 
ature changes  best.  Goggles  are  absolutely  necessary 
— the  amber  color  is  preferable,  as  it  neutralizes  the 
actinis  rays  of  the  sun  which  do  the  harm  to  the  eyes. 

Hornaday  considers  the  outfit  which  his  party  took 
on  a  desert  exploration  trip  to  be  as  perfect  as  any 
which  ever  hit  the  trail.  He  and  his  companions 
started  in  a  car,  then  took  a  wagon,  and  finally 
mules  and  horses.  They  carried  forty  gallons  of 
water  in  four  light,  wooden  cases,  each  holding  two 
five-gallon  cans  of  water.  The  individual  outfits 
weighed  each  about  thirty-six  pounds  and  consisted 
of  the  following  units — sleeping  bag,  canteen,  rifle, 
binocular,  camera,  and  medical  kit. 

The  ideal  camp  site  is  at  the  base  of  mountains  where 
one  can  get  into  the  canyons  for  water  and  as  a  cool 
retreat,  sheltered  from  the  high  winds  and  storms. 
Camping  in  a  basin  or  canyon  might  mean  disaster 
from  the  visitation  of  torrents  which  originated  miles 
[57] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

away.  A  camp  fire  is  a  luxury,  unless  one  is  in  a  dense 
growth  of  desert  timber  and  away  from  the  main 
routes  of  travel. 

Travel  into  the  remoter  districts,  as  on  a  prospecting 
or  a  hunting  trip,  necessitates  the  use  of  pack  animals. 
For  this  purpose  select  horses  accustomed  to  this  kind 
of  travel,  as  the  hot,  sandy  roads  disturb  the  dis- 
positions of  those  unused  to  it,  and  many  of  them 
weaken  from  drinking  the  alkali  water.  On  packing 
trips,  experienced  prospectors  and  hunters  select 
burros  on  account  of  their  endurance  of  thirst  and  heat, 
their  foraging  abilities,  and  the  small  amount  of  care 
which  they  need;  they  are  objectionable  because  of 
being  slow  and  they  cannot  carry  heavy  loads.  Your 
guide  on  the  desert  will  admonish  you  not  to  expect 
more  than  a  walk  (two  or  three  miles  an  hour),  not  to 
travel  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  and  to  trust  implicitly  in 
your  animal's  sense  of  smell,  particularly  when  trailing 
for  water.  Should  a  pack  animal  get  a  snake-bite, 
puncture  the  flesh  about  the  bitten  part  and  rub  in 
well  with  the  finger  tips  common  ammonia. 

The  accessories  for  the  motor  car  should  be  especially 
chosen  for  use  in  getting  out  of  the  sand  or  mud  if  stuck — 
an  axe,  a  good  spade,  a  jack,  and  apparatus  for  ex- 
tricating the  car.  The  following  methods  are  in  vogue : 

One  punster  has  it  that  "sand  is  useful  in  the  crop  of 
a  chicken,  permissible  in  the  disposition  of  a  man,  and 
an  anathema  in  the  path  of  an  automobile."  •  But  no 
desert  traveler  jokes  about  sand.  To  him  sand  is  his 
arch  enemy,  and  a  battle  with  it  is  a  contingency  to 
be  met  with  often,  particularly  in  the  western  arid 
portion  of  our  continent. 

I  58] 


HINTS  ON  DESERT  TRAVEL 

Sand  varies  from  that  coarse  granular  sand,  making 
easily  negotiable  tracks,  to  the  pure,  light,  fluffy  "flour" 
sand  which  is  the  plaything  of  the  winds.  Imagine  taking 
a  bushel  of  flour  and  letting  a  flat  iron  drop  into  it — it 
sinks  as  in  water  and  you  have  an  exact  parallel  met 
with  by  tourists  from  Needles  to  Barstow  on  the 
Mohave  Desert  route  at  the  time  of  the  Oatman 
(Arizona)  gold  rush.  Large  trucks  had  dug  chuck  holes 
every  few  feet,  and  these  were  filled  level  to  the  top 
with  fine  sand  into  which  our  wheels  would  drop  with 
violent  lurchings  and  wrenchings,  which  made  every 
car  we  met  noisy  from  the  squeaky  wheels  due  to  the 
dryness  and  the  side  swing.  On  this  desert  road  we  had 
to  keep  on  the  track,  for,  if  off,  we  had  to  employ  some 
one  of  the  regular  means  of  extricating  the  car.  We  met 
one  hunter  returning  from  the  White  Mountains  who 
was  stuck  at  the  side  of  the  road  and  who  had,  in  trying 
to  gain  tractive  surface  for  the  wheels,  sacrificed  his 
coat,  sleeping  bag,  and  floor  mats  but  to  no  avail. 

When  the  car  gets  to  ploughing  in  the  sand,  shudders, 
and  stalls,  the  driver  instinctively  speeds  up,  jams  the 
clutch,  and  tries  to  shoot  through,  but  the  wheels 
usually  sink  deeper  while  they  spin  in  an  effort  to  take 
hold,  all  the  time  throwing  a  shower  of  sand  like  a  dog 
frantically  digging  for  a  rat.  You  are  practicing  the 
gentle  art  of  "doodle-bugging"  but  are  not  getting 
anywhere.  The  proper  handling  of  a  car  in  such  an 
emergency  is  a  slow  engagement  of  the  clutch  to  get 
surer  traction,  which  will  enable  you  to  get  through  a 
short  sand  stretch.  When  hopelessly  stalled,  it  is 
necessary  to  employ  one  of  the  several  means  of 
extrication  of  the  car. 

[59l 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

This  brings  us  to  the  physics  of  rear-wheel  traction. 
Consider  why  a  sixty-horsepower  car  is  unable  to  yank 
out  of  a  miserable  sand  or  mud  hole,  and  we  find  that  it 
is  not  the  pulling  power  at  fault  but  the  traction  surface 
of  the  rear  wheel  and  the  road.  Every  car  is  a  friction 
dnve — the  contact  point  being  a  small  area  through 
which  all  the  power  must  go — this  being  only  a  small 
space  for  a  30x3^  casing,  viz.,  3^xi  inches.  Tractors 
get  more  certain  traction  because  of  a  larger  contact 
surface  of  the  wheels  to  the  road  and  a  slower  engage- 
ment of  the  power.  When  a  car  is  stuck  in  the  sand  or 
mud,  we  must  increase  the  point  of  contact  of  the  rear 
wheels  and  the  sand,  or  enable  the  wheels  to  grip  better. 

The  following  methods  are  successful :  Dig  a  trench 
in  front  of  the  wheels  for  them  to  fall  into  for 
the  initial  start.  To  get  greater  tractive  surface,  the 
simplest  way  is  to  deflate  the  tires  twenty  or  thirty 
pounds,  thus  allowing  the  car  to  ride  over,  rather  than 
plow  through,  the  sand.  Another  method  is  to  wrap 
rope  around  the  wheels.  Chains  are  not  of  much 
avail  here,  as  they  are  of  such  small  diameter. 

Changing  the  tractive  surface  is  accomplished  by 
using  three  strips  (taken  for  the  purpose)  of  stout 
canvas,  old  pulley  belting  or  chicken-wire  netting,  a 
foot  wide  and  each  one  the  length  of  the  car.  Two  of 
these  are  placed  under  the  jacked-up  car,  one  end  is 
attached  securely  to  the  wheel  and  the  other,  fitted 
with  grommets,  is  staked  to  the  ground  ahead  of  the  car. 
As  the  car  moves  ahead,  the  third  strip  is  used.  Some 
transcontinental  tourists  have  advanced  the  idea  of 
taking  planks  the  size  of  the  running  board  to  use  as  a 
bridging  across  bad  holes. 

[60] 


STUCK  IN  THE  MUD 

1.  A  river  bottom  mud  hole  with  car  in  to  the  hub.    8  year  old  girl  operated  the 

pull-out  device. 

2.  How  the  hook  end  of  mud  chains  are  put  on  drive  wheel. 

3.  Getting  out  backwards. 

4.  Chain  automatically  unhooks  from  stakes  and  is  in  position  to  be  attached  to 

the  tire  for  the  road  after  pulling  out  of  the  mud  hole. 
THE  DUBLSERVIS  PULL-OUT  SET. 


DEFEATING  THE  ARCH  ENEMIES  OF  THE  MOTORIST 
SAND  AND  MUD 


HINTS  ON  DESERT  TRAVEL 

One  car,  touring  through  drifts  of  winter  snow  in 
Bear  Valley  (California)  at  an  altitude  of  eight 
thousand  feet,  utilized  the  principle  of  the  plates  on  the 
wheels  of  the  caterpillar  tractor.  The  tires  were  removed 
with  the  rims  and  replaced  by  rims  upon  which  were 
attached  small,  flat  boards  to  act  as  miniature  snow- 
shoes.  They  effectively  kept  the  wheels  on  the  surface 
where  tires  would  sink  nearly  out  of  sight. 

EXTRICATING  THE  MOTOR  CAR  OUT  OF  SAND  AND  MUD 

The  Hub  Capstan. — Anchor  the  rope  ahead  of  the 
car,  run  a  loop  around  the  rear  hub  (some  cars  will  need 
a  specially  made  hub  cap  to  retain  the  rope),  the  free  end 
being  held  taut  by  someone  taking  up  the  slack,  or  the 
rope  can  be  wound  about  the  drum  and  tied  to  a  spoke. 
The  driver  starts  the  car,  the  spinning  wheel  winds  the 
rope  on  the  drum,  and  the  car  pulls  out.  This  wind- 
lass method  is  very  powerful.  It  is  well  in  some  cases 
to  also  lock  the  differential,  especially  if  one  wheel  is  on 
good  road.  The  handbrake  is  put  on  fairly  tight  to 
destroy  the  action  of  the  differential,  or  the  mired 
wheel  is  fastened  so  it  cannot  turn,  the  power  of  the 
engine  applied,  and  the  other  wheel  on  the  solid  track 
does  the  work. 

The  Spanish  Windlass. — This  is  an  improvised  block 
and  tackle,  well  illustrated  by  a  simple  contrivance  at 
home.  Tie  a  cord  to  a  flatiron  on  the  floor  and  the 
other  end  to  a  table  leg.  Midway  on  the  cord  hold  a 
broomstick  upright;  now  take  a  stove  poker  and  loop 
it  around  the  cord  and  the  stick  and  turn  the  poker  as  a 
windlass.  On  winding,  the  flatiron  moves  forward — 
the  stick  being  kept  free  to  move  along.  This  is  a 
[61  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

powerful  lever,  giving  a  short  bite  with  a  great  pull, 
and  the  longer  the  poker,  the  greater  the  leverage — 
the  greater  the  power. 

In  actual  application,  the  motor  car  supplants  the 
flatiron;  saplings  or  gas  pipe,  the  broomstick  and 
poker;  and  a  strong  five-eighth-inch  rope,  the  cord. 
The  fixed  end  of  the  rope  in  the  front  of  the  car  is 
attached  to  any  kind  of  a  "deadman" — to  a  tree, 
a  telephone  pole,  a  timber  buried  crosswise  to  the 
line  of  pull,  or  to  a  series  of  three  pegs  driven  into  the 
ground. 

A  block  and  tackle  is  good,  if  you  have  enough  man 
power  to  operate  it.  A  metal  block  is  less  cumber- 
some than  a  wooden.  A  much  more  powerful  outfit, 
and  one  easily  worked  by  one  man,  is  the  pull-u-out — 
a  little  device  consisting  of  a  ratchet  crank,  a  forty-foot 
steel  cable  (this  can  be  used  any  time  also  as  a  tow- 
rope),  two  seven-foot  hitch  chains,  and  several  stakes. 
When  the  car  is  mired,  the  stakes  are  driven  into  the 
ground  in  front  of  the  car,  the  hitch  chains  and  cable  are 
attached  between  the  car  and  the  anchorage,  and  the 
car  is  extricated  by  giving  the  ratchet  a  few  turns.  The 
device  is  also  useful  in  jacking  up  the  front  or  rear  of 
the  car  for  inspection,  repair,  or  painting  underneath. 
It,  in  reality,  supplants  the  time-honored  mule. 

No  motor  tour  should  be  undertaken  without  two 
sets  of  chains  and  the  extra  repair  links.  They  are 
mighty  handy  if  one  chain  gets  lost  and  occasionally 
the  front  wheels  need  chains  for  security  in  guiding  the 
car  on  wet,  crowned  roads;  they  can  be  used  'as  tow- 
ropes  and  are  a  part  of  the  double-service  pull-out  kinds 
which  so  effectively  get  cars  out  when  stuck  in  the 


HINTS  ON  DESERT  TRAVEL 

mud  or  sand.  The  chains  are  attached  together  and 
laid  along  the  track  under  the  jacked-up  wheels;  put 
the  end  near  the  rear  wheel  around  the  tire  and  fasten 
between  the  spokes  securely;  the  free  end  in  front  is 
staked  to  the  ground  with  special  pegs.  This  kind  of 
anchorage  utilizes  the  ground  friction  against  every 
link  of  the  chain  and  cross  members — friction  created 
by  the  strong  downward  pressure  under  the  heavy 
wheels.  If  advisable  to  pull  out  backwards,  attach  the 
chains  for  each  wheel,  stake  out  behind,  and  apply  the 
power. 

No  one  should  attempt  to  follow  wilderness  trails 
without  a  knowledge  of  personal  hygiene  and  how  to 
treat  the  commoner  accidents  and  illnesses — heat 
exhaustion,  sunstroke,  burns,  bruises,  wounds,  snake- 
bite, the  use  of  the  tourniquet,  what  to  do  for  fever, 
chills,  constipation,  diarrhaea,  and  a  knowledge  of  ele- 
mentary surgery.  A  simple  first-aid  kit  will  suffice 
— a  tin  box  is  a  good  container,  and  provide  in  it  trench 
tubes  of  iodine,  aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia,  cotton, 
gauze,  adhesive  plaster,  scissors,  safety  pins,  and  a 
snake-bite  kit  consisting  of  a  lance,  potassium  per- 
manganate crystals,  and  a  stimulant. 

Personal  hygiene  in  desert  travel  borrows  many 
precepts  from  the  tropics.  In  a  word,  the  most  im- 
portant thing  is  temperance  in  all  things.  Free  perspira- 
tion on  the  skin  is  highly  desirable,  as  the  rapid  evapora- 
tion cools  the  blood  and  goes  a  long  way  towards  pre- 
venting heatstroke  and  sunstroke.  Keep  the  head 
cool,  the  feet  dry  (no  trouble  in  the  desert),  and  the 
bowels  regulated,  and  one  has  no  fear  of  sickness  in  any 
climate.  The  desert  should  be  avoided  in  mid-summer 
[63  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

where  the  thermometer  jumps  often  to  125  degrees. 
The  shade  temperature  in  the  Salton  Sink  and  Death 
Valley  is  1 30  degrees  F.  in  mid-summer,  during  which 
time  men  exposed  to  the  sun's  rays  without  water 
quickly  perish.  Provide  clothing  for  extremes  of  heat 
in  valleys  or  sinks  and  cold  in  the  higher  altitudes.  As 
to  the  color  of  clothing,  choose  white,  yellow,  or  khaki, 
for  experiements  have  proven  that  the  difference  in 
temperature  under  black  and  white  cotton  drill  is 
32.6  degrees.  Broad-brimmed  gray  felt  hats  are  good, 
or  one  may  borrow  the  idea  of  the  English  in  their  trop- 
ical possessions  by  using  the  big  opaque  cork-lined  hel- 
met, with  its  ventilating  space  all  around  and  a  hole 
at  the  top  which  effectively  keeps  the  sun  off  the  head. 
To  keep  the  stomach  and  bowels  normal  wear  a 
woolen  band,  ten  inches  wide,  about  the  abdomen. 
To  drink  after  several  hours  of  extreme  abstinence  is 
almost  certain  death.  Many  a  strong  man  has  used 
every  atom  of  will  power  at  his  command  to  urge  him- 
self on  to  water,  only  to  die  in  torture  by  drinking  too 
heavily  of  the  precious  liquid.  Sunstroke,  heat,  or 
thermic  fever  is  characterized  by  a  hot,  dry  skin,  the 
face  is  congested,  the  veins  are  swollen,  the  arteries 
throb,  and  the  fever  ranges  from  105  degrees  up- 
ward. A  patient  so  afflicted  should  be  moved  to  the 
shade,  if  possible,  should  be  divested  of  his  clothing, 
and  cold  must  be  applied  to  his  head  and  body  for 
twenty  minutes,  followed  by  a  brisk  rubbing  of  the  skin 
to  speed  up  surface  circulation.  Hot  tea  or  coffee  do  the 
stimulating  act  very  well.  For  inflamed  eyes'  a  good 
wash  is  salt  water  or  a  mixture  of  boric  acid — a  tea- 
spoonful  to  a  cup  of  strong  tea  and  use  hot  in  the  eyes. 
[64] 


HINTS  ON  DESERT  TRAVEL 

Cold  cream  or  lanolin  is  fine  for  the  skin,  which  gets  dry 
and  blisters  where  the  air  is  devoid  of  humidity. 

Snakes  seek  shelter  from  the  sun  and  might  be  found 
under  blankets  or  tarpaulins,  hence  always  shake  them 
out  before  retiring,  and  give  anything  under  which 
they  might  hide  a  kick  before  picking  up.  The  frontier 
method  of  treating  snake-bite  is  whiskey  internally  and 
a  chewing-tobacco  poultice.  The  whiskey  theory  in 
snake-bite  is  exploded,  for  if  given  in  sufficient  quantities 
the  patient  has  a  good  chance  to  die  from  acute  al- 
coholism. The  life  of  a  person  bitten  by  a  venomous 
snake  depends  upon  what  is  done  during  the  first  hour. 
The  poison  is  either  quickly  eliminated  and  the  patient 
rapidly  recovers,  or  it  is  taken  up  by  the  blood  stream 
and  carried  to  all  vital  organs  and  rapidly  destroys  life. 
Time,  then,  is  all  important,  and  one  should  under- 
stand how  to  care  for  this  emergency.  The  method  of 
treatment  is  given  in  the  chapter,  "Taking  the  Place 
of  the  Doctor". 


[65] 


CHAPTER  VII 

The  Camp  Cuisine 

EXPERTS  on  outdoor  topics  agree  as  to  the  average 
essentials  making  up  the  camper's  food  lists,  but  these 
men  vary  in  their  recommendations  as  to  the  amounts 
of  each  article  to  be  taken.  The  subject  is  important, 
for  upon  it  often  depends  the  success  of  the  expedition, 
and  so  radical  a  change  as  one  experiences  from  the 
home  cuisine  to  that  of  the  camp  may  affect  the  health 
and  well-being  of  the  party. 

The  hackneyed  slogan  of  camp  outfitting — to  carry 
just  that  weight  and  bulk  in  outfit  which  transportation 
facilities  permit — must  be  reiterated  emphatically  in 
our  present  consideration.  The  food  selected  should  be 
suitable  for  healthful  sustenance  on  an  average,  camp- 
ing trip.  A  man  can  exist  on  a  very  monotonous  diet  of 
two  or  three  elemental  foods,  but  it  is  advisable  to  vary 
the  kind  of  food  taken. 

Figure  the  ration  list  on  a  basis  of  the  amount  needed 
for  one  man  one  week;  then  when  your  party  is  to  be 
out  for  several  weeks,  the  computation  is  easy.  If  you 
can  secure  supplies  along  the  route,  reduce  the  initial 
amount  taken.  Fresh  fish  or  game  found  en  route 
will  also  help,  but  do  not  depend  too  much  on  these. 

We  have  appended  herewith  a  list  of  foods  as  ad- 
vised by  several  prominent  authorities  and  it  will  serve 
as  our  basis  for  analysis.  For  each  week  about  twenty 
pounds  are  needed  per  man.  Nothing  should  be  con- 
[66] 


COOKING  IN  CAMP 

1.  The  shelter  cloth  provides  the  simplest  bed  cover  and  has  other  uses  as  a  pack 

cloth  or  poncho. 

2.  One  versed  in  woodcraft  fashions  a  fireplace  from  Nature's  stores  close  at  hand. 

3.  For  quickly  made  bread  the  old-fashioned  bannock  is  surpassingly  good. 


CAMP  STOVES 

1.  The  gasolene  pressure  stove  is  the  choice  of  most  campers. 

2.  The  folding  camp  grate  with  baker  is  for  the  cook  who  likes  an  open  fire. 


THE  CAMP  CUISINE 

sidered  primarily  except  those  foods  easily  procurable 
at  any  grocery.  Here,  then,  we  draw  the  line  on 
evaporated  foods,  although  they  are  ideal  for  light- 
weight packs. 

The  following  are  looked  upon  as  essentials  in  diet 
lists:  Flour,  bacon,  beans,  tea,  and  sugar.  They 
represent  the  three  classes  of  food  necessary  for  health. 
For  increasing  the  palatability  of  the  diet  other  items 
creep  in,  and  if  they  represent  in  food  value  and  con- 
centration of  bulk  the  same  as  a  given  amount  of  the 
essential  food  for  which  they  were  substituted,  they  are 
admissible. 

The  flour  ration  should  be  made  up  of  whole-wheat 
or  graham  flour,  and  yellow  corn  meal.  Bacon  is  the 
great  standby  in  the  meat  line  and  it  can  be  varied 
with  small  portions  of  ham  and  chipped  dried  beef. 
Beans  and  bacon  together  form  a  well-balanced  ration. 
Beans  can  be  cooked  and  then  baked  until  all  the 
moisture  is  gone  and  only  a  crumbling  crust  remains, 
packed  into  bags,  and  later  used  as  a  soup  or  a  gruel. 
As  beans  are  hard  to  boil  in  a  high  altitude,  one  can  pre- 
pare them  in  lower  regions  by  parboiling  them  without 
salt  in  the  water,  drying  them  well,  and  later  cooking 
them  as  usual  in  salted  water.  If  available,  a  steam 
pressure  cooker  is  ideal  for  high-altitude  cookery. 

For  a  stimulating  beverage  coffee  is  usually  pre- 
ferred in  the  United  States  and  tea  in  Canada.  The 
latter  is  much  easier  to  transport  and  more  sustaining 
to  the  body.  Coffee  pots  can  be  entirely  eliminated 
from  the  camp  outfit,  if  so  desired.  Choose  the  pow- 
dered or  instant  soluble  kind  of  coffee,  add  a  teaspoonful 
to  the  cup  of  hot  water  heated  directly  over  the  camp 
[67] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

fire,  stir,  add  sugar,  and  drink.  Get  the  tea  tabloids, 
which  are  compact  and  far  better  for  the  pack  than 
loose  tea  leaves.  They  are  marketed  in  handy  tins. 
Throw  one  into  a  cup  of  boiling  water  and  a  satisfying 
infusion  is  the  result — the  tea  settlings  going  to  the 
bottom  of  the  cup.  Tea  in  general  is  to  be  preferred, 
for  a  pound  of  it  will  go  as  far  as  many  pounds  of  coffee. 

Don't  try  to  economize  in  the  weight  of  sugar  by 
substituting  saxin  or  saccharine.  True,  the  latter  is 
sweeter  by  several  hundred  times  than  sugar,  but  it 
does  not  furnish  heat  and  energy  such  as  real  sugar 
does,  and  that  is  what  is  needed  on  the  long  trail. 
Furthermore,  saxin  long  used  delays  digestion.  So, 
carry  sugar,  and  in  winter  much  more  will  be  needed 
than  is  indicated  on  the  check  list.  Salt  and  pepper  in 
small  amounts  as  condiments  are  standard. 

Baking  powder  should  be  pure,  Price's  or  Royal 
preferred,  and  it  should  be  kept  in  air-tight  and  water- 
tight containers.  I  keep  it  in  a  metal  flask  with  a  cork- 
lined,  metal  screw  top.  When  moisture  reaches 
baking  powder  a  chemical  change  takes  place  destroy- 
ing its  leavening  power  and  it  is  useless  for  cooking 
purposes.  Keep  this  in  mind  in  considering  self- 
rising  flours  which  have  the  baking  powder  mixed  with 
the  flour  in  proper  proportions  for  use  and  simply 
require  the  addition  of  water  before  cooking.  So  do 
not  take  this,  for  there  is  danger  of  the  flour  getting 
wet  and  being  thus  ruined. 

By  all  means  take  dried  fruit  along.  Raisins  alone 
constitute  a  fine  emergency  food,  but  for  the  sake  of 
variety  you  can  take  anything  you  like,  as  figs,  apricots, 
apples,  prunes,  etc. 

[68] 


THE  CAMP  CUISINE: 


RATION  LIST  FOR 
ONE  MAN  ONE 
WEEK,  WITHOUT 
GAME 

.CO 

tCO 

5' 

$" 

»q 

A.  F.  Wallace,  in 
Land  Cruising 
and  Prospecting. 

IE.^Kreps,  in 
"Camp  and  Trail 
Methods"  

ITownsend  Whelen, 
in  game  country. 

»  Dillon  Wallace  in 
"Packing  and 
Portaging"  

f 

Wheat  flour  

•j 

16 

* 

6 

A 

•7 

< 

Com  Meal  

X 

A 

Crackers  

y 

Bacon  

c 

r/ 
* 

i.y 

y 

y 

Salt  Pork  

8 

y* 

Beans  

2 

i  y 

I  J/ 

~ 

I    J^ 

I&4 

Peas.  .  . 

i 

i 

Tea  

.  2O 

* 

4  oz. 

X 

y. 

T^ 

ix 

y 

Coffee  

* 

y 

Cocoa  

T^ 

Sugar  

i  y 

3 

TX 

I 

i  j/ 

T,y 

i  y*: 

\y 

Saxin  

i  jotab 

Syrup  

j  */ 

* 

* 

4  oz 

TX 

o  oz. 

y 

y* 

y 

Baking  Powder  .  . 

r£ 

34 

4/4  OZ. 

y* 

y* 

K 

Soda  Bicarbonate 

7* 

4  oz. 

Dried  Fruit  

i  y 

y* 

I 

iy 

I  J^ 

T/ 

j 

Rice  

y 

2 

I  }<* 

X 

j 

Pepper  

* 

* 

TX 

y*oz. 

I/  oz 

5^oz. 

* 

Emergency  ration 

j 

Cereal  

i 

2 

iy 

x 

* 

Dried  vegetables. 

I 

I 

Fresh  potatoes. 

-y 

Fresh  onions  .... 

I 

y 

Lard  or  Crisco  .  .  . 

jTX 

I  J/ 

Sweet  chocolate.  . 

i  j^ 

Vinegar  

y 

4 

Lemons,  fresh 

2 

Lime  juice  tablets 

u 

Canned  milk  .... 

i 

Powdered  milk.  .  . 

IX 

Egg,  dried.  . 

X 

Totals  

20 

16 

17 

26 

23 

16 

r^ 

20 

*Refers  to  rations  present  in  small  amounts. 
[69] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

Rice  having  great  sustaining  power  and  not  being 
bulky  can  be  relied  upon  to  replace  potatoes,  for  it 
furnishes  about  the  same  food  elements.  To  cook  rice 
add  gradually  the  washed  kernels  to  furiously  boiling 
salted  water  and  keep  over  the  fire  for  twenty 
minutes.  So  much  for  the  essential  foods  procurable 
wherever  stores  abound. 

If  available,  I  would  substitute  for  a  portion  of  the 
flour  ration  some  evaporated  eggs.  These  have  proven 
a  success.  A  pound  represents  four  dozen  of  the  fresh 
kind.  Useful  in  omelets,  scrambled,  or  otherwise 
utilized  in  cooking.  Lard  may  be  omitted  and  bacon 
grease  used  instead.  When  admissible,  butter  put  up 
in  hermetically  sealed  tins  is  good.  You  can  prepare  it 
at  home  by  slowly  boiling  it  and  removing  the  scum 
as  it  arises,  then  cooling  and  packing  in  tins  with  pry-up 
lids.  In  camp  it  is  to  be  kept  in  springs  or  streams. 
In  hot  countries  butter  becomes  rancid. 

Evaporated  foods  have  real  value.  In  the  process  of 
manufacture  the  water  is  extracted,  and  then  all  you 
have  to  do  is  to  add  water  when  they  are  cooked  for  the 
table.  A  real  saving  in  weight  is  thus  possible;  for 
instance,  one  pound  of  evaporated  potatoes  will  make 
seven  pounds  of  the  fresh  kind  when  cooked  up.  These 
foods  are  just  as  nourishing  as  fresh  or  canned  goods 
and  are  ideal  for  our  purpose  because  of  the  handiness 
in  transporting  and  keeping  qualities.  They  are  hard 
to  get  outside  of  the  cities.  Good  brands  contain  no 
adulterants  or  preservatives.  The  following  kinds  will 
give  satisfaction — julienne,  dehydrated  onions,  po- 
tatoes, peas,  beans,  and  soup  greens.  Milk  is  con- 
veniently used  out  of  the  small  tins.  Powdered  milk 
[70] 


THE  CAMP  CUISINE 

is  satisfactory  and  is  the  choice  when  you  must  cut 
down  weight,  as  on  a  forced  march. 

When  on  the*  march  our  soldiers  are  supplied  with 
what  is  known  as  the  '  'Reserve  Ration' ' .  This  furnishes 
a  most  efficient  diet  for  men  in  active  physical  exercise 
and  who  must  prepare  their  food  ofttimes  under  the 
simplest  and  most  primitive  conditions.  This  ration 
must  not  be  confused  with  the  "army  garrison  ration," 
which  is  a  suggestive  list  of  food  items  representing  the 
monetary  allowance  for  each  man  and  by  comparison 
the  most  generous  of  any  supplied  to  the  armies  of  the 
world.  It  consists  of:  Bacon,  12  ounces  (or  canned 
meat,  16  ounces);  hard  bread,  16  ounces;  coffee,  1.12 
ounces;  sugar,  2.4  ounces;  and  salt,  16  ounces.  This 
ration  is  notable  in  that  all  the  items  are  of  a  nature  pro- 
curable wherever  food  supplies  can  be  secured,  they  are 
comparatively  inexpensive  and  are  a  portable  supply, 
of  little  bulk  but  yielding  much  energy.  Consisting 
mainly  of  fat  and  starch  it  furnishes  much  energy,  it 
does  not  contain  sufficient  bulk  to  satisfy  nor  build  up 
worn-out  tissues  of  the  body,  hence  commanders  are 
wise  to  halt  the  contingent  after  they  have  been  sub- 
jected to  the  diet  for  a  month,  for  the  purpose  of  fat- 
tening up  on  a  more  tissue-building  diet  with  plenty 
of  fruits  and  vegetables.  Each  individual  is  instructed 
in  the  preparation  of  his  own  meals  so  as  to  be  pre- 
pared for  the  exigencies  of  field  service  when  he  may 
become  detached  from  the  company  commissariat. 

In  cold  weather  in  the  Far  North,  with  probably  the 
means  of  transportation  reduced  to  a  dog  team  or  a 
back  pack,  the  ration  list  must  be  cut  down  to  absolute 
essentials.  To  facilitate  the  handling  of  the  outfit  in 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

the  cold,  the  range  of  variety  had  best  be  limited.  The 
ideal,  cold-weather  food  meeting  the  above  require- 
ments is  pemmican.  In  cold  weather  the  fats  should 
predominate  as  they  do  in  pemmican,  and  further,  this 
food  keeps  well,  is  very  compact,  and  can  be  fixed  up 
in  a  variety  of  ways  palatable  to  a  hungry  trail  man. 
Pemmican  can  be  made  at  home.  For  a  ten-pound 
lot  mix  well  the  following:  Ground  lean  meat,  5  pounds; 
fat  (suet),  4  pounds;  dried  fruit,  ]/z  pound;  and  sugar, 
%  pound.  Hudson  Stuck,  the  conqueror  of  Mount 
McKinley,  details  in  the  The  Ascent  of  Denali  how  he 
made  his  own  pemmican:  "We  made  our  own  pem- 
mican of  the  choice  parts  of  the  juicy  meat  and  never 
lost  appetite  for  it  or  failed  to  enjoy  it  and  assimilate  it. 
The  meat  was  boiled,  until  well-done,  in  a  fifty-pound 
lard  can.  Then  it  was  stripped  from  the  bones  and 
minced  and  salted  and  peppered.  Some  cans  of  butter 
having  been  melted,  a  mass  of  this  minced  meat  was 
rolled  in  it  and  then  into  a  ball  weighing  about  a 
quarter  of  a  pound.  We  made  a  couple  of  hundred  of 
such  balls  and  froze  them,  and  they  kept  perfectly,  even 
until  our  outgoing  journey.  The  liquor  in  which  all 
this  meat  had  been  cooked,  with  the  marrow  of  the 
bones  added,  was  then  boiled  down  into  about  five 
pounds  of  rich,  thick,  meat-extract  jelly.  Four  balls 
of  pemmican,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  this  caribou  ex- 
tract, a  package  of  Erbswurst,  and  a  cupful  of  rice  made 
the  chief  ration  for  the  evening  meal  for  the  four  of  us 
when  we  were  on  the  higher  reaches  of  the  mountain, 
and  we  were  always  well  nourished." 

On  such  trips  do  not  rely  on  baking  bread  en  route, 
because  of  the  lack  of  baking  conveniences  and  time. 

IT*] 


THE  CAMP  CUISINE 

The  moisture  in  common  bread  will  freeze,  so  it  is  best 
to  use  the  unleavened  or  sour-dough  bread,  or  the 
ready-made  hardtack  or  pilot  biscuit  as  the  staple. 
Vary  the  bread  ration  with  dehydrated  vegetables,  if 
possible.  Now,  if  you  will  add  to  the  Arctic  ration  the 
above-enumerated  pemmican  varied  with  jerked  beef* 
and  hardtack  varied  with  dehydrated  vegetables,  tea 
and  dried  milk,  you  will  have  a  well-balanced,  dry, 
compact,  palatable  and  energy-yielding  diet. 

"Jerked  beef  or  venison  is  prepared  best  after  the  method  of 
Homaday — "Cut  meat  into  strips  and  work  in  well:  salt,  i 
pound;  allspice,  i>^  tablespoonfuls,  and  black  pepper,  \% 
tablespoonfuls.  Dry  in  sun  or  camp-fire  smoke." 


[73  ] 


CHAPTER  VIII 

Using  the  Reflecting  Baker 

THE  more  one  camps  out,  the  more  he  accords  cook- 
ing the  first  place  in  contributing  to  the  success  of  the 
outing.  Nothing  will  more  quickly  disorganize  the 
morale  of  a  bunch  of  good  fellows  on  a  wilderness  tour 
than  mistreated  stomachs.  Many  men  and  most 
women  dislike  camping  because  they  have  to  cook 
with  a  meagre  equipment  and  under  an  unhandy 
environment,  the  proper  utilization  of  both  of  which 
calls  forth  that  peculiar  knack  which  marks  the  expert 
camp  craftsman.  Nowhere  else  is  one  blessed  with  such 
an  appetite  as  in  the  active  life  led  in  camping,  and  the 
knowledge  of  how  to  cook  right,  when  it  is  one's  turn 
to  be  the  culinary  artist,  becomes  a  coveted  gift. 

Most  camp  cookery  is  elemental — that  is,  one  must 
so  combine  and  cook  the  standard  grub  list  of  flour, 
bacon,  beans,  salt,  sugar,  and  dried  fruit  as  to  yield  a 
palatable,  varied,  and  easily  digested  diet.  The  list 
may  now  be  augmented  by  the  addition  of  dried  milk, 
eggs,  and  vegetables,  which  greatly  widen  the  range  of 
eating  variations,  and  should  be  included  as  essentials. 
The  wise  vacationist  limits  his  outfit  to  actual  neces- 
sities to  keep  down  the  weight  and  bulk  to  suit  his 
transportation,  so  he  must  eliminate  as  a  rule,  canned 
goods,  fresh  fruits,  vegetables,  and  "store  bread". 

Just  as  the  grub  list  must  be  limited  to  necessities,  so 
must  the  cooking  utensils  be  few  in  number,  light  in 

[74] 


USING  THE  REFLECTING  BAKER 

weight,  and  of  maximum  utility.  In  considerable 
experience  with  campers  it  is  surprising  to  find  how 
few  employ  that  ingenious  device  known  as  the  Re- 
flecting Baker,  and  yet  were  its  uses  known  it  would 
occupy  a  high  place  as  one  of  the  needed  items.  The 
old  school  of  campers  stick  to  the  frying  pan  method  of 
making  bread,  and  they  usually  fry  instead  of  roast 
their  meats.  Where  transportation  allows,  other  men 
use  the  Dutch  Oven — a  heavy,  cumbersome,  iron  kettle 
on  legs,  made  to  sit  on  a  bed  of  coals  and  having  a 
sunken  lid  to  hold  more  coals.  In  the  average  moving 
camp  a  heavy  stove  capable  of  cooking  as  at  home  is 
out  of  the  question,  so  we  have  been  in  a  quandary 
as  to  just  what  method  to  use. 

Altogether  the  most  satisfactory  baker  for  the  camp 
and  trail  is  the  Reflecting  Baker.  It  is  extremely  port- 
able, being  made  of  aluminum,  and  folding  flat,  and 
capable  of  producing  most  excellent  breads,  biscuits, 
cakes,  pies,  cookies  (the  production  of  bread-stuffs  being 
a  most  difficult  task  with  most  outdoor  men).  With 
it  one  can  prepare  fine  roasts  of  the  different  meats; 
he  can  brown  potatoes  to  a  turn  and  bake  fish  which 
would  be  the  envy  of  the  most  skeptical  "chef  de  eats" 
of  the  metropolitan  hostelry. 

The  Reflecting  Baker  is  used  with  the  open  fire  or  next 
the  side  of  the  camp  stove.  It  consists  of  two  flat 
sheets  of  bright  aluminum  attached  on  one  side  with 
the  opposite  sides  flaring  and  which  become,  re- 
spectively, the  top  and  bottom  of  the  baker — the  top 
slanting  like  a  shed  roof  upside  down.  Ends  are 
provided  for  further  retaining  the  heat,  and  a  baking 
pan  or  shelf  reposes  in  the  center,  where  it  gets  the  com- 
[  75  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

bined  heat  reflecting  in  from  all  angles.  The  principle 
is  similar  to  the  hearth  fire  of  our  forefathers,  which 
utilized  the  angles  to  get  the  heat  reflected  evenly 
from  the  bright  surfaces  onto  the  bread  or  roast.  The 
baker  must  be  kept  bright  and  shining,  which  is  easily 
done  by  scouring  with  ashes. 

The  8xio-inch  size  holds  a  dozen  biscuit  and  weighs 
two  pounds,  while  the  i  ox  1 6-inch  size  weighs  five 
pounds  and  is  of  about  double  the  capacity.  The 
bakers  are  equipped  with  folding  legs,  and  when  the 
top,  sides,  and  bottom  are  folded  in  for  carrying,  they 
become  a  compact  and  almost  negligible  part  of  the 
camp  outfit.  Canvas  carrying  cases  may  be  provided, 
and  a  smooth  pine  board  for  mixing  and  rolling  are 
furnished,  if  so  desired.  This  bread  board  may  be 
eliminated  by  taking  a  two-foot  square  of  white  oil- 
cloth, which  can  be  laid  on  the  ground,  table,  or  any 
level  surface  and  used  similarly.  Even  on  back-pack 
trips  and  portages  the  Reflecting  Baker  is  worth  in- 
cluding because  of  its  supreme  utility,  and  a  midget 
baker,  particularly  adapted  to  the  needs  of  back- 
packing, is  soon  to  be  marketed. 

You  can  make  one  of  these  bakers  at  home  and  for 
this  you  will  need  two  pieces  of  tin,  twelve  inches  wide 
and  twenty-four  inches  long;  a  half-dozen  small 
hinges;  tinners'  shears  and  punch;  two  dozen  tinners' 
rivets  and  a  hammer.  Cut  the  tin  into  four  twelve-inch 
squares.  Of  these,  two  will  go  to  make  the  top  and  bot- 
tom of  the  reflector.  They  are  hinged  together  so  that 
they  will  fold  like  the  covers  of  a  book.  Fig.  i .  Between 
the  hinges  at  X  cut  a  small  opening  for  the  insertion  of 
the  apex  of  the  wire  pan  rest.  Fig.  ^.  (facing  p.  76.) 
I  76] 


BAKING  IN  CAMP 

1.  A  high  fire  with  a  backlog  reflector  is  used  with  the  Reflecting  Baker. 

2.  The  folding  camp  baker. 


USING  THE  REFLECTING  BAKER 

The  sides  are  made  by  cutting  the  third  piece  of 
tin,  size  12x12,  diagonally  across,  producing  two- 
triangular  sections,  which  are  both  hinged  to  the 
bottom  piece  of  the  baker.  When  these  are  folded  to 
meet  the  top  and  hooked,  the  baker  is  in  proper  angle 
relation  to  the  heat  rays  from  the  camp  fire  to  evenly 
bake  the  contents  of  the  pan.  Near  the  center  of  the 
sides,  punch  holes  at  OX  for  inserting  the  ends  of  the 
wire  pan  rest. 

When  ready  to  use,  two  small  stakes  are  driven  into 
the  ground,  and  the  rear  edge  of  the  baker  rests  thereon. 
Or  a  permanent  wire  stand  can  be  improvised.  The 
bake  pan  can  be  made  of  the  remaining  square  of  tin. 
Its  dimensions  should  be  8x12  inches.  The  whole 
affair  folds  to  the  thickness  of  an  inch  and  an  area  of 
12x12  inches.  In  travel  it  is  best  kept  in  a  cloth  case. 

Baking  can  be  started  as  soon  as  the  cooking  fire  is 
built.  The  special  points  about  the  fire  for  the  re- 
flector are  that  it  must  be  built  high  and  preferably 
with  a  back-log  reflector.  A  low  fire  burns  the  lower 
side  of  the  biscuits  before  the  upper  side  browns. 
The  open  camp  fire  is  preeminently  used  by  campers, 
and  they  generally  use  a  wire  grate  or  andirons  on 
which  they  set  their  kettles  or  pans.  If  such  is  used,  we 
build  a  fire  on  the  top  of  the  grate  as  well  as  below  it. 
If  built  as  above  with  any  of  the  following  woods,  the 
fire  gives  a  wall  of  flame  two  feet  high,  in  front  of 
which  we  set  the  baker.  Later  is  will  yield  a  fine  set 
of  coals,  which  are  utilized  for  other  cooking.  The  best 
woods  are  hickory,  hard  maple,  oak,  and  birch.  If  no 
grate  is  used,  it  is  best  to  build  a  reflecting  back-log 
of  wood  sticks,  each  about  two  inches  in  diameter 
[77] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

and  two  feet  long,  piled  one  on  top  of  another, 
leaning  against  stakes  driven  into  the  ground,  or  held 
upright  by  crotched  sticks.  The  regulation  of  the 
heat  is  done  by  moving  the  baker  to  or  from  the  fire, 
and  by  laying  a  green  log  on  the  ground  before  the  top 
is  done.  Your  baking  or  roasting  will  be  a  success  if 
you  know  how  to  handle  the  heat  to  enable  the  top  and 
bottom  to  reflect  the  heat  evenly  above  and  below  and 
in  front  and  back  of  the  pan  holding  the  dough  or  meat. 

Perhaps  the  best  way  to  judge  a  cook's  proficiency 
is  by  the  bread  he  makes,  and  no  one  article  of  camp 
equipment  was  ever  invented  which  has  contributed 
so  much  to  the  convenience  of  the  cook  and  the  health 
and  well-being  of  the  vacationist  as  the  Reflecting 
Baker,  which  allows  not  only  of  properly  preparing 
baking-powder  products,  but  also  yeast  breads,  meats, 
roasts,  and  the  sour-dough  breads  which  are  imper- 
atively used  where  the  temperature  is  near  freezing. 

Practically  all  of  the  commoner  recipes  in  baking  and 
roasting  can  be  successfully  used  with  a  Reflecting 
Baker,  with  the  exception  of  beans,  whose  baking  re- 
quires a  more  intense  heat  than  the  baker  can  produce. 
We  must  keep  in  mind  that  small  cakes  and  biscuits 
must  bake  quickly  before  a  hot  fire,  whereas  large  loaves, 
such  as  johnny  cake,  must  have  a  slower,  more  even 
heat,  so  as  to  get  done  through.  The  secret  of  the  camp 
oven  is  the  envelope  of  hot  air,  which  must  not  be  too 
hot  and  must  be  kept  even.  The  bread  supply  is  the 
real  problem  in  camp  cookery,  and  for  this  the  Re- 
flecting Baker  offers  practically  all  the  advantages  of 
the  home  cook  stove,  provided  we  know  how  to  use  it. 
Just  as  good  bread  can  be  baked  in  camp  as  in  a  hotel. 

[  78] 


USING  THE  REFLECTING  BAKER 

Whole  wheat  flour  bakes  easier  than  white  and  is  more 
tasty  and  nutritious.  Yellow  corn  meal  surpasses  the 
white,  and  if  using  baking  powder,  stick  to  the  proven 
Royal  or  Price's. 

BAKING  POWDER  BREAD 

Flour,  i  pint;  sugar,  i  tablespoonful ;  baking  powder,  i  heap- 
ing teaspoonful;  salt,  i  teaspoonful;  cold  water,  i  cupful.  Mix 
by  stirring  with  a  spoon  the  baking  powder,  sugar,  salt,  and  flour 
together;  then  ado  water  enough  to  stir  the  mixture  into  a  thin 
batter.  Pour  into  a  well-greased  pan  and  put  into  the  baker. 
Never  knead  this  kind  of  bread.  If  the  dough  sticks  to  a  sliver 
stuck  into  the  bread  it  is  not  yet  done. 

CAMP  BISCUITS 

For  one  dozen  use  the  ingredients  as  given  above  for  baking 
powder  bread,  adding  y$  teaspoonful  of  cold  grease,  as  lard, 
pork  fat,  etc.,  to  the  mixture.  Mix  the  grease  in  well  so  that 
no  lumps  remain  and  no  grease  sticks  to  the  pan.  Enough  water 
is  added  to  make  a  stiff  dough.  Now  sprinkle  the  flour  on  the 
dough,  mixing  pan,  and  hands,  and  with  the  roller  (may  be  made 
out  of  a  sapling)  roll  out  to  a  24-inch  thickness.  Cut  the  biscuits 
with  the  lid  of  the  baking-powder  can  and  put  them  into  a  well- 
greased  bake  pan  and  set  before  the  fire. 

ARMY  BREAD 

This  is  easy  to  mix,  is  made  without  grease  and  keeps  fresh  for 
a  long  period,  and  will  not  dry  up  or  mold.  It  is  good  cold,  and  is 
just  the  thing  when  laying  in  a  supply  for  a  week.  For  routine 
it  is  the  best  of  the  baking-powder  products.  Take  of  flour,  i 
quart;  salt,  i  teaspoonful ;  sugar,  i  tablespoonful ;  baking  powder, 
2  heaping  teaspoonfuls.  Mix  i  J4  pints  of  cold  water  to  make  a 
thick  batter  and  pour  out  level  into  the  pan.  Bake  forty-five 
minutes,  or  until  a  sliver  will  not  stick  in  the  dough. 

JOHNNY  CAKE  OR  CORN  BREAD 
Mix  com  meal,  i  cup;  flour,  i  cup;  baking  powder,  i  table- 
spoonful;  salt  and  sugar,  each  a  half  teaspoonful;  and  grease, 
i  heaping  tablespoonful.  If  you  have  it,  add  ^3  tablespoonful 
of  milk  or  i  tablespoonful  of  milk  powder  into  enough  water  for 
a  thick  batter,  pour  into  a  greased  bake  tin.  A  tablespoonful  of 
egg  powder  is  also  a  good  addition  to  this  bread. 

CORN  PONE 

This  can  be  mixed  up  before  starting  so  that  all  that  is  needed 
is  to  add  water.  It  must  be  kept  tightly  sealed  from  moisture 

8  [791 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

when  traveling.  Take  of  yellow  corn  meal,  i  quart ;  white  flour, 
i  pint;  sugar,  yi  cup;  salt,  i  teaspoonful;  and  baking  powder, 
4  teaspoonfuls.  In  camp  add  sufficient  water  to  make  a  heavy 
batter  and  allow  to  stand  a  few  minutes.  The  water  causes  the 
baking  powder  to  give  off  gas  and  so  lighten  the  dough.  Drop 
the  batter  in  big  teaspoonfuls  on  a  hot,  greased  pan  and  bake. 
By  using  less  water  and  getting  a  thicker  batter  you  can  turn  all 
into  a  pan  and  bake  and  you  will  have  a  very  acceptable  johnny 
cake.  Yeast  bread  dough  can  be  raised  by  setting  in  a  pan  of 
warm  water.  One  cook  I  know  of,  on  a  pack-horse  trip  poured 
the  dough  into  a  paraffined  muslin  bag  and  slung  it  over  the 
pack  saddle  and  it  was  ready  to  bake  when  he  reached  camp. 

SOUR  DOUGH  BREAD 

In  cold  climates  like  Alaska,  the  sour  dough  bread  is  mostly 
used  because  it  rises  at  near  a  freezing  temperature,  while  yeast 
will  not,  and  it  is  a  welcome  change  from  baking-powder  bread 
which,  when  continually  used,  upsets  the  stomach.  The  method 
is  simple,  and  since  using  this  kind  of  bread  I  prefer  it  to  all 
others  for  winter  and  summer  camp  trips.  A  very  excellent  dis- 
cussion of  sour-dough  breads  and  reflector  baking  is  contained 
in  Mrs.  Pinkerton's  Woodcraft  for  Women.  She  prepares  the 
"sourings"  by  stirring  together  two  cups  of  flour,  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  sugar,  and  one  of  salt  in  sufficient  water  to  make  a  creamy 
batter.  She  then  stirs  in  a  tablespoonful  of  vinegar  and  sets  near 
a  fire  or  in  the  sun  to  sour  for  two  days.  She  says: 

"For  each  loaf  of  bread  use  one  cup  of  'sourings',  one  tea- 
spoonful  of  sugar,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  lard,  one  large  teaspoonful 
of  salt,  and  a  quarter  of  a  teaspoonful  of  soda,  the  last  two  dis- 
solved in  hot  water.  The  procedure  from  this  stage  depends 
upon  the  amount  of  time  at  your  disposal  and  your  ambition. 
If  you  wish  to  break  camp  in  the  morning,  make  a  ball  at  night, 
divide  into  loaves,  allow  them  to  rise  overnight,  and  bake  at 
breakfast  time.  If,  however,  you  are  to  remain  in  camp  the  next 
day  or  even  make  a  late  start  you  can  improve  the  bread  by 
allowing  it  to  rise  twice,  once  over  night  in  a  ball,  and  again  after 
it  has  been  formed  into  loaves.  Bread  should  be  baked  an  hour. 
In  the  first  half-hour,  the  baker  should  be  eighteen  inches  from 
the  fire;  the  last  half-hour,  it  should  be  nearer,  that  the  bread  may 
brown.  If  the  bread,  when  baked,  is  grayish,  you  have  used  too 
much  soda.  The  amount  of  soda  must  be  varied  with  the 
sourness  of  the  yeast." 

RAISIN  BREAD 

Raisin  bread  is  a  baking-powder  bread  which  can  be  made  in 
a  loaf,  keeps  fresh,  and  is  best  when  cold.  Beat  together  one  cup 
of  sugar  and  one  egg  or  its  equivalent  in  egg  powder.  If  neither 

[80] 


USING  THE  REFLECTING  BAKER 

is  available,  the  egg  can  be  omitted.  Add  to  this  two  cups  of 
sweet  milk,  one  teaspoonful  of  salt,  two  cups  of  graham  flour, 
four  level  teaspoonfuls  of  baking  powder,  and  one  cup  of  seeded, 
chopped  raisins.  Let  stand  in  the  loaf  twenty  minutes,  and  then 
bake  only  moderately  at  first  until  it  has  risen,  and  then  move 
closer  to  the  fire  to  brown.  The  substitution  of  nuts  for  raisins 
in  this  bread  makes  it  even  more  delicious. 

BROWN  BREAD 

A  brown  bread  which  is  good  either  warm  or  cold  can  be  made 
with  soda  and  comes  as  a  most  welcome  change  after  much 
baking  powder.  The  use  of  soda  demands  an  acid.  This  variety 
of  raising  powder  is  made  possible  by  the  addition  of  a  teaspoonful 
of  vinegar  or  lemon  juice  to  a  cup  of  evaporated  milk.  The 
acetic  or  citric  acids  will  act  as  a  good  substitute  for  the  lactic 
acid  of  sour  milk.  Mrs.  Pinkerton  states  that  this  discovery 
opened  for  her  wonderful  possibilities  in  the  making  of  camp 
breads,  muffins,  and  pancakes.  Her  directions  for  the  brown 
bread  are  to  stir  together  %  cup  of  molasses  and  ^  of  a  cup  of 
brown  sugar.  This  can  be  varied  by  using  no  molasses  and  a 
half-cup  of  white  sugar.  Add  to  this  two  cups  of  milk  in  which 
two  teaspoonfuls  of  vinegar  or  lemon  juice  have  been  stirred, 
two  and  a  half  cups  of  graham  flour,  one  cup  of  white  flour,  one 
teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  one  teaspoonful  of  soda  dissolved  in  a 
little  warm  water.  It  should  be  the  consistency  of  a  soft  dough. 
Bake  for  two  hours  in  a  very  slow  heat.  Soda  and  acid  baking 
require  more  time  and  much  more  moderate  heat  than  the 
baking  powder  and  sweet  milk  variety. 

CAMP  PIE 

The  fruits  should  be  prepared  before  beginning  the  paste 
for  the  pie  crust,  and  the  stewed  fruits  are  excellent  substitutes 
for  the  fresh.  In  making  a  pie  crust  handle  it  as  little  as  possible, 
make  it  quickly,  and  keep  the  hands  and  all  ingredients  cool. 
Use  a  cupful  of  flour,  a  half-teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  with  a  knife 
cut  into  the  flour  a  half-cup  of  cold  lard  to  the  size  of  peas.  Add 
four  tablespoonfuls  of  cold  water  and  stir  with  a  spoon.  If  more 
water  is  needed,  sprinkle  in  a  few  drops,  but  not  as  much  as  a 
tablespponful.  Divide  this  paste  into  two  parts,  roll  out  one  part 
and  fit  into  the  baker  tin.  Roll  out  the  other  half  one-eighth  of  an 
inch  thick,  dot  it  with  a  tablespoonful  of  butter,  dredge  it 
lightly  with  flour,  fold  into  the  smallest  compass  possible,  beat 
with  a  rolling  pin,  and  roll  out  once,  pressing  the  rolling  pin  this 
way  and  that  during  the  process.  Slash  with  a  knife  in  any 
desired  pattern,  lay  it  upon  the  fruit  which  reposes  on  the  under- 
crust  and  pinch  the  edges  together.  Bake  in  a  hot  oven  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour. 

[81  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

CAMP  CAKE  AND  COOKIES 

For  cakes  we  cream  together  one  cup  of  lard  and  two  cups  of 
sugar,  add  a  cup  of  water,  stir  in  sufficient  flour  to  which  has 
been  added  a  pinch  of  salt  and  two  rounded  teaspoonfuls  of 
baking  powder  to  make  a  cake  dough.  This  is  seasoned  with 
any  spice  or  extract.  This  should  be  baked  in  moderate  heat 
and  allowed  to  rise  before  it  is  browned.  The  same  mixture  is 
made  into  cookies  by  using  sufficient  flour  to  make  a  dough 
which  can  be  rolled  out.  Cut  with  the  top  of  a  baking-powder  tin. 

ROAST  MEAT 

Meat  for  the  reflecting  baker  must  first  be  seared  in  a  fry  pan 
so  as  to  retain  the  juices.  To  supply  enough  grease  for  basting 
a  roast,  we  pin  thin  slices  of  bacon  or  pork  over  the  meats  and  set 
it  in  the  baker  pan  which  contains  water;  set  it  before  the  fire, 
frequently  pouring  with  a  spoon  the  juices  which  lie  in  the 
pan  over  the  meat  to  prevent  its  drying.  These  drippings 
later  make  excellent  gravy  by  mixing  smoothly  with  flour  with 
the  pan  partly  over  the  fire  and  then  pouring  in  slowly  a  mixture 
of  milk  and  water,  and  allowing  it  to  heat  to  the  point  where  the 
bubbles  begin  to  rise.  The  consistency  is  governed  by  the 
amount  of  liquid  added.  Before  removing  from  the  fire,  salt  to 
taste. 

ROAST  FISH 

There  is  no  better  way  to  prepare  fish,  with  the  possible  ex- 
ception of  planking  it  than  by  roasting  it  in  a  reflector.  The  fire 
should  be  as  for  biscuits.  In  preparing  the  fish,  it  is  drawn,  the 
scales  or  skin  left  on  and  evaporated,  or  fresh  onions  are  put  in- 
side to  modify  the  fishy  taste.  To  keep  it  from  drying,  we  cover 
the  surface  slightly  with  butter  drippings,  bacon  grease,  or  lard, 
and  put  morsels  of  grease  in  the  pan.  We  never  allow  the  grease 
supply  to  fall  short  and  keep  basting  the  fish  and  adjusting  the 
baker  in  relation  to  the  fire  to  a  nicety  so  as  not  to  overheat. 

Apparently  our  best  cooks  follow  no  set  recipes  but 
instinctively  know  what  proportions  to  use,  but  the 
tyro  will  follow  the  directions  to  a  letter  for  assured 
results.  The  Reflecting  Baker  being  of  such  supreme 
utility  will  many  times  over  repay  for  its  place  in  an 
outfit  and  will  endear  itself  in  the  esteem  of  the  out- 
doorsman  who  prides  himself  on  being  a  connoisseur  in 
wilderness  cuisines. 

[8*] 


CHAPTER  IX 

Tents  and  How  to  Use  Them 

To  get  real  knowledge  of  life  in  the  wilderness  when 
the  Red  Gods  call  you,  get  just  as  far  away  from  the 
de  luxe,  sophisticated,  fashionable  resort  hostelry  as 
you  can  and  live  primitively  in  a  tent.  Close  contact 
with  Nature  instills  in  you  the  real  woodsman's  feeling- 
out  where  you  get  full  of  the  ozone  and  spicy  perfumes 
of  the  timbered  stretches,  where  you  learn  what  weather 
really  is.  Being  an  open-air  dweller  should  not  be  a 
hardship.  It  does  not  mean  that  you  must  "rough  it", 
for  with  the  proper  outfit  you  can  "smooth  it",  this 
accomplishment  depending  upon  the  degree  of  wisdom 
you  display  in  the  selection  and  use  of  your  outfit.  One 
learns  from  experience  what  essentials  mean,  and  one 
provides  these  units  in  keeping  with  the  hackneyed 
slogan  of  outfitting  "to  adapt  the  equipment  to  means 
of  transportation  and  to  the  character  of  the  country 
to  be  visited  and  the  purpose  and  length  of  the  trip." 
The  weight,  bulk,  and  portability  of  one  unit — the 
tent — will  be  a  decided  factor  in  the  feasibility  of  the 
trip,  for  the  greater  the  mobility  of  one's  outfit,  the 
greater  is  the  travel  range.  It  is  a  far  cry,  for  instance, 
from  the  pup  tent  of  the  soldier  to  the  elaborate  canvas 
house  of  a  permanent  summer  colony;  but  both  mean 
comfort  and  protection  in  ratio  to  the  exigent  demands 
of  the  purpose  which  governs  their  use.  Much  thought 
and  time  have  been  expended  to  protect  men  from  the 
[83  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

elements.  Tents  are  among  the  earliest  of  human 
habitations,  and  from  the  many  types  we  can  well 
choose  one  which  suffices  our  needs,  be  it  for  the  per- 
manent camp,  for  the  motor  tour,  the  hunting  trip  via 
pack-train,  for  the  canoe  cruise,  or  touring  the  wilder- 
ness afoot.  The  weight  of  your  tent  will  be  limited 
according  to  the  means  of  transportation.  The  type  of 
cloth  house  you  may  use  is  governed  by  the  use  you  are 
to  exact  from  it,  and  your  judgment  will  be  called  upon 
to  pick  one  from  the  multitudinous  and  confusing  array 
which  their  originators  have  advised  to  produce  some- 
thing approaching  the  Ideal.  Our  tent  must  answer 
certain  standard  qualifications.  It  must  be  big  enough 
to  house  its  intended  occupants,  and  light  enough  and 
so  compact  as  to  be  transported  easily  for  the  trip 
planned;  it  must  provide  shelter  from  rain  and  wind 
and  protection  from  insects  and  other  wilderness  pests; 
the  shifting  camp  demands  a  very  light  tent  which  one 
can  set  up  quickly  and  take  down,  and  for  the  per- 
manent camp  one  which  is  durable  and  once  up  "stays 
put".  Tent  choice  is  so  inexorably  governed  by  the 
above  rules  that  individual  preferences  are  within 
narrow  limitations.  The  permanent  camp  permits  the 
use  of  heavy,  strong,  bulky  tents  with  home  comforts 
when  a  man  is  loose  and  carefree.  There  are  many 
kinds  of  forest  homes  now  in  use,  and  the  standard 
tents  have  been  developed  in  accord  with  modern  re- 
quirements; yet  it  is  a  matter  of  fact  that  civilized  man 
has  not  improved  greatly  on  the  outdoor  domicile  of 
the  nomad.  The  Indian  with  his  teepee  introduced  the 
up  and  down  lines  in  tent  building,  and  the  European 
invaders  of  the  new  world  gave  us  the  horizontal  line 
[84] 


TYPES  OF  TENTS 

The  Mosquito  pest  is  ever  present  and  will  mar  the  outing  unless-  means  to  pre- 
vent the  nuisance  are  provided:  this  may  be  a  closed  tent  with  windows  covered 
with  cheese  cloth,  or  a  cloth-covered  frame  over  each  individual  bed. 


TYPES  OF  TENTS 

1.  The  Amazon  Tent. 

2.  Mosquito  net  and  frame  on  cot. 

3.  The  wall  tent  is  the  ideal  for  permanent  camps  as  in  this  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey 

camp. 

4.  Tarpaulin  tent. 

5.  Diagram  of  tarpaulin  tent. 


TENTS  AND  HOW  TO  USE  THEM 

idea — and  now  we  have  a  vast  number  of  variations 
and  complications  of  these  two.  In  basic  principles  we 
find  that  all  tents  use  one  or  more  of  the  three  types  of 
roofs — the  wedge,  the  pyramid,  or  the  cone — and  of 
the  two  types  of  sides — the  slanting  and  perpendicular. 
Elucidation  concerning  the  commoner  combinations  of 
these  sides  and  roofs  will  be  welcome  to  the  tyro  who 
is  in  a  quandary  as  to  what  tent  will  suffice  his  needs. 

The  Lean-to. — A  /xg-foot  sheet  of  balloon  silk,  weigh- 
ing two  and  a  half  pounds,  pegged  down  along  one  side 
with  the  opposite  side  raised  to  a  forty-degree  angle 
held  by  poles  and  a  light  rope,  is  the  utmost  in  shelter 
simplicity.  When  you  close  the  ends  with  brush  and 
build  a  fire  in  front  of  it,  it  is  ideal  as  far  as  warmth  is 
concerned.  About  camp  or  on  the  trail  it  can  be 
further  utilized  as  a  general  utility  tarpaulin.  The 
lean-to  is  good  for  short  trips  in  moderate  weather  and 
even  in  cool  weather  with  the  backlog  fire  throwing 
heat  to  the  angled  roof  which,  in  turn,  deflects  the 
rays  down  to  the  floor.  A  fire  in  the  woods  is  generally 
needed  to  dispel  the  humidity.  A  favorite  hunting 
camp  is  composed  of  two  lean-tos  with  top  ridges 
joining,  forming  a  wedge-style  shelter.  You  can  buy 
the  lean-to  with  end  flaps. 

The  Tarpaulin  Tent. — This  is  similar  to  the  lean-to 
sheet,  but  more  pretentious  in  size  and  can  be  utilized 
in  a  remarkable  number  of  ways.  It  is  a  simple  sheet 
10x14  ^t,  weighing  in  balloon  silk  seven  and  one- 
quarter  pounds,  which  can  be  erected  as  a  lean-to  or 
in  the  shape  of  a  pyramid  or  miner's  tent  with  flat  front 
giving  a  floor  space  of  7x7x7  feet.  The  sheet  is  re- 
inforced with  tapes  sewed  along  the  lines  of  strain  from 
[85] 


the  tent  pegs  to  the  point  of  support  above.  The 
tarpaulin  tent  inherits  various  salient  features  of 
worthy  forebears — the  teepee's  peak,  the  roof  angle 
of  the  "A"  tent  and  pyramid  and  its  front  are  a  sug- 
gestion of  the  wall  tent,  while  the  open  camp  feature 
reminds  us  of  the  lean-to.  When  closed  it  is  very  snug, 
shedding  rain  well  on  account  of  the  steep  tapering 
roof,  and  it  pegs  down  fast  for  a  hard  blow.  It  needs 
but  one  pole  for  pitching,  or  in  timber  you  can  simply 
throw  the  suspension  rope  from  the  peak  over  an  out- 
standing tree  limb.  The  tarpaulin  tent  is  the  most 
versatile  of  camp  shelters. 

The  "A"  or  Wedge  Tent. — Among  a  party  numbering 
over  one  hundred  people  on  a  recent  mountaineering 
trip,  a  topic  of  most  interesting  discussion  was  "tents", 
and  almost  every  variety  was  in  evidence  scattered 
over  the  rocky  landscape — from  the  time-honored  wall 
tent  of  the  commissary  department  to  the  one-night- 
stand  bivouac  shelter  of  the  experienced  hiker.  Of  par- 
ticular interest  was  a  simple  "A"  or  wedge  tent  which 
had  been  used  for  fourteen  summers  by  a  certain  college 
professor  and  an  eminent  attorney.  This  tent  furnished 
roomy  sleeping  quarters  for  the  two,  with  storage  space 
for  equipment  items,  and  also  adequate  head  room 
above.  The  walls,  really  the  roof  in  this  tent,  needed 
no  guy  ropes,  as  they  were  simply  pegged  to  the 
ground  and  staunch  against  a  hard  wind.  The  wedge 
was  pitched  between  two  trees  by  tightly  stretching  a 
rope  ridge,  and  the  tautness  was  further  augmented 
by  an  alpinestock  wedged  under  the  ridge  rope  at' either 
end.  I  rather  prefer  putting  this  tent  up  with  a  pole 
ridge  above  the  tent  and  suspending  the  latter  to  it  by 
[86] 


tie  tapes  at  each  seam  and  supporting  the  pole  by 
shears  at  either  end  of  the  tent  or  tied  up  between  trees. 
Being  easily  shifted,  this  four-walled  tent  of  balloon 
silk  is  very  desirable  for  a  hunting  or  fishing  trip  where 
transportation  is  available  and  quick  stops  are  in 
order.  The  wedge  tent  is  an  advantage  over  the  wall 
tent  in  its  lightness,  but  it  can  be  made  into  a  wall  tent 
by  sewing  on  the  wall  around  the  bottom  and  providing 
guy  ropes.  Stewart  Edward  White,  in  his  Camp  and 
Trail,  recommends  this  tent  as  the  camper's  standby. 
As  a  protection  against  mosquitoes,  he  makes  a  second 
tent  of  cheesecloth  without  any  door  opening  which 
he  suspends  by  tapes  on  the  inside  of  the  cloth  tent. 
He  gets  a  lean-to  effect  in  the  wedge  tent  by  pulling  up 
the  loops  of  the  tent  to  the  same  stakes  that  hold  down 
the  other  wall.  The  "A"  tent  is  light,  cheap,  and 
particularly  easy  to  erect  on  uneven  ground.  A  good 
size  for  two  men  is  7x7x7  feet,  which  would  weigh,  in 
balloon  silk,  eight  and  one-half  pounds.  The  Hudson's 
Bay  tent  is  but  a  modified  wedge  tent  with  rounded 
ends  and  a  short  ridge. 

The  Wall  Tent. — A  wall  tent  is  simply  a  strip  below 
a  wedge  tent  as  the  "wall".  Although  this  tent  is  the 
accepted  type  for  the  permanent  camp  or  Chautauqua 
colony,  it  is  not  very  desirable  for  the  shifting  wilder- 
ness home.  It  is  clumsy  to  transport,  is  hard  to  pitch 
with  its  innumerable  ropes,  poles,  pegs  and  guys,  and 
is  blown  over  easily.  It  is  hot  in  summer,  and  requires 
a  stove  for  heating  in  winter,  and  at  any  season  it  is 
most  difficult  to  ventilate.  To  obviate  this  last 
difficulty,  specify  that  the  wall  tent  be  provided  with 
cheesecloth  windows  over  a  six-inch  square  cut  out  of 
[87] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

either  end,  and  protect  this  opening  against  storm  with 
a  little  roller  flap  of  the  tent  material.  This  beats 
raising  the  wall  for  air  and  letting  in  draughts  and 
insects.  Where  transportation  facilities  permit  of  its 
use,  such  as  wagon,  auto,  or  pack  horse,  it  is  the  ac- 
cepted general  utility  tent.  So  much  work  is  required 
in  pitching  that  it  is  only  practical  for  the  base  or  per- 
manent camp  of  several  weeks'  duration.  It  is  the 
choice  of  lumbermen  and  trappers,  for  wiith  a  stove  and 
brush  or  snow  protection,  it  defies  cold  better  than  the 
teepee  or  Sibley.  It  is  usually  made  of  twenty-nine- 
inch  duck,  and  a  fly  is  often  used.  The  fly  is  un- 
necessary in  this  day  of  waterproof  duck  and  balloon 
silk,  but  if  used,  it  should  be  pitched  over  a  separate 
ridge  pole  above  the  tent  ridge,  thus  allowing  a  better 
circulation  of  air.  The  fly  is  to  be  recommended  for 
tropical  use,  in  which  case  it  reaches  to  the  ground  on 
either  side  keeping  off  sun-glare,  allowing  ingress  and 
egress  of  air  and  storage  space  for  luggage.  A  tent 
without  fly  made  of  waterproofed  duck  or  balloon 
silk  weighs  little  in  comparison — the  fly  weighs  about 
half  as  much  as  the  tent  itself — it  is  less  bulky  and  will 
not  mildew.  The  eaves  should  extend  out  enough  to 
carry  water  drip  free  from  the  walls.  A  wall  tent  is  a 
great  saving  in  tent  fabric,  and  for  its  weight  it  gives 
the  maximum  available  space  inside.  For  four  people 
a  good  size  is  14x1 4-foot  floor  with  four-foot  walls  and 
nine-foot  center,  and  this  weighs  in  ten-ounce  army 
duck  about  fifty-eight  pounds,  and  half  that  weight  in 
balloon  silk.  When  buying,  don't  consider  floor  space 
alone,  for  it  may  be  a  "low"  tent.  This  size  will  provide 
cot  room,  if  the  cots  are  placed  lengthwise  of  the  tent, 
[88] 


TENTS  AND  HOW  TO  USE  THEM 

two  on  a  side.  For  two  persons,  a  tent  the  size  of 
S^xS^  floor  space,  with  a  three-foot  wall,  and  seven 
and  one-half  feet  high  in  the  center,  is  good  and  weighs, 
in  the  army  duck,  thirty  pounds,  and  in  balloon  silk, 
fourteen  and  three-quarter  pounds.  The  wall  tent  may 
be  provided  with  folding  or  telescoping  poles,  but  in 
timbered  country  shears  should  be  made  at  either  end 
to  support  a  sapling  ridge  pole  above  tent  ridge  which 
is  attached  by  means  of  tie  tapes. 

The  Baker  Tent. — The  Baker  or  shed  tent  is  half  a 
wall  tent,  only  deeper  and  with  an  awning  which  is 
available  for  opening  horizontally  or  closing  the  tent 
front.  It  is  very  popular  with  all  sportsmen,  for  it 
provides  much  head  room  in  front  where  the  greater 
width  is  available,  and  being  deep  it  has  a  large  sleep- 
ing capacity.  The  awning  extension  is  popular,  and 
with  the  closed  door  flap,  privacy  is  safeguarded.  When 
used  as  an  open-faced  tent  with  a  backlog  fire  five  feet 
in  front,  the  tent  roof  reflects  the  heat  down  and  warms 
the  interior.  The  heating  principle  is  that  of  the  hearth 
fire  of  our  forefathers,  utilizing  the  angles  to  reflect  the 
heat  from  the  fire  down,  and  is  the  same  idea  as  utilized 
in  the  Reflecting  Baker  oven  in  cooking.  The  Baker 
can  be  used  with  a  cheesecloth  front  when  mosquitoes 
infest,  or  this  can  be  thrown  aside  to  get  the  whole 
good  of  the  blazing  camp  fire.  The  7x7x7  size  with 
a  two-and-one-half-foot  wall  weighs,  in  balloon  silk, 
thirteen  pounds,  and  is  about  right  for  two  men. 

The  Amazon  Tent  is  a  Baker  with  the  addition  of  a 

front  wall  fitted  below  the  porch  flap  and  along  the  front 

sides.      If  this   front  curtain  be  attached   by  snap 

buttons  or  tape  ties  to  the  top,  it  can  be  opened  out  to 

[89] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

the  edges  of  the  front  flap  and  increase  the  depth  one- 
half.  This  type  is  the  preferable  shelter  for  auto 
camping,  some  makers  modifying  it  by  building  the 
bed  as  an  integral  part  of  the  tent.  It  can  be  pitched 
independently  of  the  auto,  or  with  the  back  wall 
attached  to  the  mud  guards  and  top  bows,  or  again  by 
facing  the  auto  with  its  front  flap  tied  to  the  top, 
affording  the  dining  space  between  the  tent  and  the 
car  and  thereby  rendering  the  supply  contents  of  the 
tonneau  easily  accessible.  In  setting  up  in  timbered 
country,  both  the  Baker  and  Amazon  tents  may  well 
have  a  frame  of  saplings  or  we  can  tie  the  ridge  tapes 
to  a  cross  rail  suspended  between  trees. 

Forester  Tent. — The  best  tent  to  protect  the  oc- 
cupants from  draughts  and  one  which  is  the  acme  of 
coziness  on  account  of  the  reflecting  fire  reaching  to 
all  parts  of  the  interior  is  the  forester  tent  designed  by 
Warren  H.  Miller.  It  is  a  combination  of  the  pyramid 
roof  and  slanting  sides.  Attached  to  the  front  edges 
is  a  hood,  which  can  be  laced  up  at  night.  It  prevents 
rain  from  driving  in.  It  does  not  reach  clear  to  the 
ground,  and  this  low  opening  allows  heat  to  come  in, 
and  such  a  peak  holds  the  heat  within.  The  front  can 
be  covered  with  cheesecloth  to  bar  out  mosquitoes. 
It  covers  a  triangular  floor  space  of  seven  feet  and 
eight  inches  and  weighs,  in  balloon  silk,  six  pounds. 
It  can  be  set  up  in  five  minutes  with  shears  of  two  ten- 
foot  poles  supporting  a  pole  twelve  feet  long  making  a 
tripod.  Every  user  of  this  tent  is  well  satisfied  with  it, 
and  manufacturers  should  accord  Mr.  Miller  due 
credit  for  devising  a  clever  arrangement  for  comfortable 
camp  life. 

[90] 


TENTS  AND  HOW  TO  USE  THEM 

The  Miner  Tent. — This  is  a  real  pyramid,  sometimes 
provided  with  a  wall,  in  which  case  it  becomes  a 
"walled  miner".  Peary  used  this  type  of  tent  in  some 
of  his  famous  Polar  dashes.  It  is  quite  like  a  teepee  in 
shape,  but  gives  more  available  ground  space  than  the 
conical  tent.  In  pitching,  one  simply  pegs  down  the 
bottom  and  erects  the  center  pole  or  shears,  inside  or 
outside,  hence  it  is  especially  indicated  for  use  where 
poles  are  unattainable  in  open  country  such  as  along 
coasts,  cold  northern  steepes,  on  the  desert,  the  plains, 
or  above  timberline.  Particularly  if  fitted  with  a 
ground  cloth,  it  can  be 'used  in  country  so  rough  that 
no  other  tent  can  be  erected.  The  miner  is  a  sleeping 
shelter  for  the  shifting  camp,  hence  there  is  no  need  to 
carry  around  a  lot  of  head  room,  which  is  not  to  be 
used  as  in  a  wall  tent.  The  same  amount  of  cloth  put 
into  a  single-pole  tent  provides  a  taller  and  larger 
house,  with  plenty  of  room  in  the  middle  where  you  will 
need  it.  It  is  very  stable  in  the  wind,  sheds  rain  well, 
due  to  the  slope  of  the  roof,  and  is  easy  to  trench. 
Two  or  three  persons  can  be  accommodated  in  a 
7X7X7-foot  pyramid,  which  weighs  in  army  duck, 
fourteen  pounds,  and  in  balloon  silk,  seven  pounds. 

The  Indian  Teepee. — The  typical  Indian  tent  with 
its  various  cognomens — "teepee,"  "lodge,"  and  "wig- 
wam"— is  described  as  a  cone-shaped  skin  or  cloth 
shell  supported  by  a  many-poled  framework,  permitting 
the  use  of  an  open  fire  within  which  diffusible  products 
of  combustion  gain  ample  exit  through  an  opening  in 
the  peak.  The  principal  objections  to  it  are  that  it  is 
apt  to  smoke  its  occupants  out  into  the  cruel,  cold 
world,  and  too  many  poles  are  required  to  pitch  it. 

[Qi  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

In  the  proper  construction  and  manipulation  of  such 
a  tent  lies  the  secret  of  successful  use,  and  I  am  not  so 
sure  but  that  most  of  the  failures  with  this  shelter  may 
be  traced  to  improper  pitching  and  control  of  the  air. 
currents  for  draught.  Once  you  get  the  theory  of  the 
thing,  the  objections  vanish.  As  already  noted,  the 
peak  is  open,  and  a  wind  hood  is  affixed  so  that  it 
closes  the  top  opening  on  the  windward  side  to  allow 
the  outside  air  to  enter.  That  it  may  not  go  directly 
upon  the  fire  and  bed,  we  provide  a  wind  wall  whose 
lower  edge  is  confined  to  the  ground  around  the  edge  of 
the  tent  like  a  sod  cloth  and  which  extends  upward  one- 
third  of  the  way  to  the  peak,  where  it  is  suspended  by 
tape  ties.  Thus  the  draught  principle  is  much  like 
that  of  a  common  kitchen  stove,  where  we  open  the 
ash-pan  door  to  let  in  fresh  air,  which  then  rushes 
upward  as  a  draught  to  the  outlet  flue. 

The  Sibley  Tent  is  a  cone  much  like  the  teepee, 
eliminating,  however,  all  poles  except  one  center 
upright,  which  rests  on  an  iron  tripod  over  the  fire. 
A  ventilating  hole  is  left  at  the  top  surmounted  by  a 
hood  or  cap.  The  large  cone  tents  represent  much  waste 
of  cloth  and  space.  They  are,  no  doubt,  the  best;  in 
fact,  the  only  tents  where  an  open  fire  is  used,  in  which 
you  have  a  decided  advantage  in  being  able  to  sit 
cozily  at  your  fireside  and  feel  a  certain  independency 
of  inclement  weather. 

The  Campac  Tent  has  many  advantages,  not  the 
least  of  which  is  that  it  can  be  pitched  without  poles. 
Materials. — Before  the  advent  of  balloon  silk,  cotton 
duck  was  the  preeminent  fabric  used  in  tent  manu- 
facture. It  stands  wear  and  sheds  rain  well  if  taut, 
[9*] 


TENTS  AND  HOW  TO  USE  THEM 

closely  woven,  pitched  at  the  proper  angle,  and 
nothing  touches  it  from  the  inside,  for  even  a  finger 
touch  will  start  a  leak  by  capillary  attraction.  Where 
you  must  have  a  tent  that  will  get  hard  wear,  choose 
duck  or  canvas,  but  have  it  waterproof.  Unless  you 
are  particular  to  specify  the  grade,  you  will  get  a 
coarse,  loosely  woven  cloth.  It  is  good  only  for 
cheap  tents  and  is  at  best  a  poor  buy,  for  it  is  weak  and 
cannot  be  depended  upon  to  shed  water.  One  should 
always  ask  for  samples  of  cloths  before  buying.  The 
double  filling  duck  is  of  closer  texture  with  a  better 
cotton  fiber  and  equal  to  all  but  the  hardest  service 
and  quite  acceptable  for  the  ordinary  requirements  of 
camp  life.  Both  the  single  and  double  filling  duck  run 
in  twenty-nine-inch  widths.  Since  the  strength  de- 
pends upon  the  weight  per  square  yard,  see  to  it  that 
twenty-nine-inch  stuff  is  used.  Thirty-six-inch  material 
is  one-fourth  lighter  per  yard  than  twenty-nine-inch 
cloth.  Army  duck  is  the  best  grade  used  in  tents.  It 
is  made  from  selected  cotton  used  in  both  warp  and 
filling,  double-twisted  and  closely  woven.  It  outwears 
all  others  of  the  same  weight — it  is  twenty-eight  and 
one-half  inches  wide — and  on  account  of  its  close 
weave  it  sheds  water  well. 

Waterproof  balloon  silk  is  a  boon  to  the  camper,  and 
its  advent  has  revolutionized  tent  making  and  using, 
and  it  has  made  possible  an  efficient  shelter  without 
the  necessity  of  having  to  lug  around  a  many-pound 
canvas  affair.  Probably  this  one  item  alone  is  more 
largely  responsible  than  anything  else  in  the  increas- 
ing popularity  of  knapsack  trips.  The  ingenious  wood- 
crafter,  in  studying  out  the  short  cuts  and  simple  ruses 
[93  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

to  get  utility  in  maximum  quantity  out  of  a  minimum 
of  outfit,  has  been  able  to  find  out  that  balloon  silk  has 
many  other  uses  than  that  of  tent  making,  and  the 
fabric  should  be  credited  with  being  indispensable 
wherever  campers  congregate  to  solve  the  problems  of 
light-weight  outfitting. 

In  reality  balloon  silk,  so-called,  is  not  a  silk  at  all 
but  a  very  closely  woven  cotton.  It  does  not  absorb 
moisture  when  treated  to  the  waterproofing  process; 
it  is  exceedingly  durable ;  is  rot-proof  and  in  every  way 
desirable  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  designed. 
There  are  lighter  tent  cloths  made,  but  balloon  silk  is 
the  choice  of  the  majority.  It  is  sold  in  a  trio  of  colors 
— white,  which  proves  to  be  the  most  ideally  water 
repellent;  green,  which  is  restful  to  the  eyes  and  is 
comparatively  inconspicuous,  modifies  the  sun's  glare, 
blends  pleasantly  with  the  surroundings,  does  not  at- 
tract unwelcome  visitors — from  hoboes  to  mosquitoes 
— is  shadow-proof  when  the  tent  is  lighted  from  within, 
and  does  not  advertise  the  earmarks  of  usage;  and 
khaki-leaf  brown,  which  is  popular  and  has  the  good 
points  of  the  green. 

Waterproofing. — The  particular  advantage  in  water- 
proofing tent  cloths  is  to  keep  the  tent  interior  dry 
and  to  prevent  the  shrinkage  of  the  fabric.  A 
waterproofed  wall  tent  needs  no  additional  fly,  thus 
there  is  a  saving  in  weight  and  bulk.  There  is  no 
urgency  about  drying  out  such  a  tent,  and  if  rolled  up 
damp  it  will  not  mildew.  Kephart  states  that  manu- 
facturers do  processing  of  their  tent  cloths  by  one  of 
the  following  methods:  (a)  The  cloth  is  filled  with 
paraffin  or  wax,  either  enveloping  the  fibers  or  ironing 
[94] 


TENTS  AND  HOW  TO  USE  THEM 

the  wax  to  fill  the  interstices  between  the  fibers  also; 
(b)  chemically  treating  the  fibers,  allowing  the  spaces 
between  the  fibers  to  be  open;  (c)  cravenetting  the  yarn 
before  it  is  woven  into  the  cloth;  (d)  waterproofing  the 
cloth  with  cupro-ammonium  solution  and  then  lightly 
waxing,  which  produces  a  waterproof  and  slow  burning 
fabric.  Linseed  or  other  drying  oils  are  not  satis- 
factory in  processing  tent  cloths.  Cloth,  unless 
especially  treated,  will  start  to  leak  upon  touching  the 
roof  during  a  rain.  Processing  a  tent  to  make  it  water 
repellent  will  avail  little,  if  the  right  cloth  is  not  used 
in  the  first  place.  Any  cloth  which  shows  pinholes 
large  enough  to  let  light  through  when  held  up  for 
testing  will  surely  leak. 

Keeping  Out  Insects. — One  of  the  desiderata  in  tent 
choosing  is  that  it  be  insect-proof.  This  is  particularly 
important  in  regions  like  Alaska.  Railway  engineers 
of  that  country  are  sometimes  forced  to  have  a  tent 
with  floor  sewed  in  and  without  a  door,  entrance  being 
through  a  round  hole  with  a  bag  sewed  around  it, 
through  which  the  camper  crawls  and  ties  the  bag 
up  after  him.  Such  a  tent  has  cheesecloth-covered 
windows  for  ventilation.  In  most  tents  a  cheesecloth 
front,  covering  the  door  space,  is  all  that  is  needed. 
This  is  preferably  sewed  to  the  top  and  sides  back  of 
the  front  flaps  and  is  left  voluminous  enough  at  the 
bottom  to  be  lifted  up  for  the  entrance  of  occupants. 
Entirely  closing  the  cloth  door  flaps  and  providing 
windows  in  the  front  and  back  of  tent  for  ventilation 
is  another  way  of  beating  the  mosquito  at  his  game. 
Stewart  Edward  White  uses  a  second  tent  of  cheesecloth 
with  no  door  to  it,  which  he  suspends  with  tapes  on  the 

7  [951 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

inside  of  the  cloth  tent.  Mosquito  bar  as  sold  is  no 
good,  as  it  is  not  of  small  enough  mesh  to  keep  out 
smaller  insect  life  and  is  also  too  frail  a  fabric.  Bob- 
binet  is  expensive.  Common  cheesecloth  is  much  the 
preferable  insect  excluder. 

A  sewed  in  ground-cloth  is  desirable  in  smaller  tents. 
In  the  larger  ones  it  can  be  separated  and  laid  to  overlap 
the  sod-cloth,  but  in  fixed  camps  it  is  a  nuisance  and  is 
hard  to  keep  clean.  If  you  have  no  floor  in  the  tent,  by 
all  means  have  a  sod-cloth,  which  is  a  nine-inch  strip 
of  the  tent  material  sewed  around  the  bottom  edge  of 
the  sides  and  ends. 

In  spite  of  its  name,  the  "sod"-cloth  should  not  be 
held  down  with  earth,  but  by  placing  camp  equip- 
ment thereon.  It  effectively  keeps  out  insects,  snakes, 
and  draughts,  for  one  should  not  expect  ventilation 
from  the  tent's  bottom — one  should  get  this  from 
the  windows  and  doorway. 

Your  dealer  will,  in  all  likelihood,  supply  your  tent 
with  poles  having  a  ring  or  band  at  the  top  to  keep  them 
from  splitting.  You  can  get  jointed,  telescoping,  or 
collapsible  poles,  if  you  go  anywhere  but  in  timbered 
country.  We  should  never  take  into  the  woods  any- 
thing which  the  woods  furnish,  so  in  tent  pitching  in 
the  timbered  regions  we  make  a  framework  right  there. 
If  you  do  not  suspend  your  tent  from  a  ridge  pole  sup- 
ported by  end  shears  of  saplings  when  trees  are  near  at 
hand,  you  are  not  playing  the  wilderness  woodcraft 
game  rightly.  The  same  is  true  with  stakes  or  tent  pegs. 
If  you  must  carry  them,  get  metal  pegs  or  two-foot- 
long  wooden  stakes,  which  are  driven  into  the  ground 

[96] 


TENTS  AND  HOW  TO  USE  THEM 

diagonally  out  from  the  tent  and  withdrawn  in  the  line 
they  were  put  in. 

A  poorly  erected  tent  is  a  travesty  on  the  worthiness 
of  being  called  a  good  woodcraftsman.  To  protect  from 
wind  and  rain  storms,  the  cloth  house  must  be  put  up 
taut,  and  if  the  cloth  and  guy  ropes  are  waterproofed, 
they  will  not  swell  and  shrink,  which  would  otherwise 
occur  with  resultant  tearing  of  cloth  and  pulling  out 
of  tent  pegs.  Of  course,  you  have  chosen  a  site  on  an 
open  elevated  clearing  above  the  surrounding  areas  to 
get  good  drainage.  When  you  trench  around  the  tent, 
cut  straight  down  just  outside  the  pegs  and  then  cut  a 
slope  into  this  dam.  The  dirt  should  not  be  banked 
against  the  tent. 

The  pitching  of  a  tent  should  be  methodical.  First 
locate  the  corners,  then  drive  in  the  corner  pegs 
diagonally  from  the  center.  If  you  are  using  a  wall 
tent  with  "store"  poles,  drag  the  ridge  ahead  so  that 
the  tent  lies  flat  on  one  side,  insert  the  ridge  pole  inside 
with  the  spindle  holes  meeting  the  grommet  rings  of 
the  tent  ridge.  Insert  the  upright  pole  spindles  one 
at  each  end  of  the  ridge  pole,  then — you  handling  one 
upright  and  your  partner  the  other — you  raise  them 
to  the  verticle  and  hold  fast  until  the  corner  pegs  are 
looped  with  the  corner  guy  ropes,  working  naturally, 
first  on  the  windward  side.  Finish  staking  out  the  side 
guys  and  then  the  bottom  loops.  To  "storm-set," 
provide  long  guy  ropes  from  the  spindle  of  the  rear  up- 
right on  top  of  tent  down  to  the  corner  peg  in  front. 
Repeat  this  from  the  front  spindle  to  the  rear  corner 
peg  and  duplicate  the  process  on  the  other  side  of  tervt, 
and  your  outfit  will  weather  most  any  old  gale. 
[97] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

In  timbered  country,  you  have  no  business  bringing 
in  poles.  Get  some  saplings  and  make  shears  for  the 
front  and  back  of  the  tent  which  are  to  support  a  ridge 
pole  to  which  the  tent  is  attached  with  tapes.  On  a 
wall  tent,  we  can  put  side  bars  onto  the  shear  legs  at  the 
height  of  the  side  wall  and  tie  the  guy  ropes  to  them. 
If  inside  poles  are  used  you  might  put  up  a  "guy- 
frame"  to  which  to  tie  the  guy  ropes.  Stakes  are  driven 
in  at  either  end  of  the  side  wall  to  support  a  pole  running 
along  the  top  of  the  side  wall  to  which  the  guys  are 
secured.  If  camping  on  rocky  or  frozen  ground, 
it  is  best  to  use  shears  for  erecting  the  tent  and 
guy  to  the  rocks  or  bushes.  The  shears  leave  the 
doorway  unobstructed.  They  do  away  with  the  need 
of  carrying  poles  into  the  wilderness,  and  enable  one 
to  adjust  the  tautness  of  the  tent  by  moving  the  shear 
legs  outward  or  inward.  Pegs  will  not  hold  in  sandy  or 
muddy  ground,  so  we  put  a  hole  along  the  ground  in 
front  of  the  pegs  on  the  ropes,  or  drive  an  extra  stake 
in  the  opposite  direction  to  the  regular  stake,  making 
an  inverted  letter  "V". 

It  is  a  fallacy  that  night  air  is  unhealthy,  and  as  the 
average  tent  closes  up  like  a  house  without  windows, 
one  must  specify  that  ventilating  devices  be  provided 
for  one's  tent.  Windows  should  be  cut  at  either  end 
and  covered  with  cheesecloth  or  bobbinet,  or  there  is 
made  a  copper-gauze  mesh,  which  can  be  removed  and 
replaced  with  celluloid.  A  roll-up  canvas  storm  flap 
should  be  fitted  to  close  this  opening  when  needed  in 
time  of  storm  and  can  be  operated  by  tapes  from  the 
inside  of  the  tent. 

A  proposed  motor  trip  was  delayed  until  December 
[98] 


TENTS  AND  HOW  TO  USE  THEM 

with  one  party  and  the  Amazon  tent  tried  out.  The 
tent  space  was  made  quite  comfortable  by  means  of  a 
small  collapsible  stove  with  small  telescopic  pipe.  A 
spark  arrester  within  the  pipe  prevented  sparks 
(tiny  coals)  from  descending  on  the  tent  and  burning 
holes  in  it.  A  stove  pipe  hole  in  the  tent's  roof  must  be 
protected  from  burning.  Tin  scrapes  in  the  wind  and 
cuts  the  tent  when  packed  for  transportation.  We 
protected  one  tent  in  an  emergency  by  cutting  a  hole 
twice  the  size  of  the  pipe  and  sewing  in  a  piece  of  raw- 
hide to  overlap  it.  Then  we  cut  an  opening  the  exact 
diameter  of  the  small  pipe.  Tent  makers  supply 
asbestos  rings,  which  are  noiseless,  safe,  roll  up  with 
the  tent,  and  are  covered  with  a  flap  when  the  pipe  is 
not  to  be  used. 

You  will  not  get  results  with  the  small  tent  heaters, 
unless  you  understand  the  principles  of  steady,  slow 
combustion  on  small  draught  which  makes  charcoal. 
Warren  H.  Miller  drew  my  attention  to  this  fact — 
that  a  tent-stove  fire  can  be  made  to  last  all  night. 
You  build  a  small  fire  in  your  stove,  giving  it  plenty  of 
air  for  good  combustion,  and  thus  get  a  bed  of  hot 
coals  which  we  want  when  cooking.  At  night  the  stove 
is  loaded  with  logs,  which  rest  on  the  bed  of  live  coals 
and  burn  just  as  fast  as  the  small  draught  permits. 
The  rest  of  the  logs  turn  to  charcoal  and  burn  slowly, 
which  is  a  process  of  hours. 


(99) 


CHAPTER  X 

Tent  Making  At  Home 

SHOULD  one  wish  to  try  tent  making  at  home,  one 
is  at  once  confronted  with  the  choice  of  materials. 
Waterproofed  balloon  silk  as  a  tent  fabric  stands  in  a 
class  by  itself.  Superseding  the  antiquated  heavy  duck 
and  flimsy  drill  cloth,  balloon  silk  has  been  the  chief 
item  in  revolutionizing  tent  making  and  thereby 
rendering  extended  hike  trips  at  all  feasible.  It  is 
really  not  a  silk  at  all  but  a  closely  woven  cotton  cloth 
with  a  weight  of  but  three  and  three-fifth  ounces  per 
yard.  It  is  rot-,  vermin-,  and  mildew-proof  and  ex- 
ceedingly durable.  Any  large  department  store  can 
supply  you  balloon  silk,  which  can  be  handled  on  the 
ordinary  sewing  machine.  Use  good  linen  thread 
(No.  25),  waxed,  and  for  reinforcing  use  the  tapes 
secured  at  the  ten-cent  store.  All  pieces  to  be  sewn 
together  are  overlapped  a  half-inch  and  a  one-inch 
hem  is  made  around  the  edges.  All  points  which  are 
chosen  for  attachment  to  the  ground  pegs  (one  at  each 
hem)  are  reinforced  with  a  small  square  of  the  tent 
material  and  then  tape-ties  are  sewn  on,  or  else  grom- 
mets  inserted,  to  receive  rope  ties.  Coloring  of  the  un- 
waterproofed  tent  is  easily  done  with  Diamond  Dyes 
according  to  the  package  directions,  tan  or  green  being 
preferable. 

The  model  should  first  be  made  out  of  wrapping 
paper  according  to  the  printed  diagram,  and  measure- 


TENT  MAKING  AT  HOME 

ments  are  given  in  inches  to  represent  feet  in  the  finished 
product.  The  diagrams  supply  the  areas  required  upon 
which  we  must  figure  the  number  of  yards  needed 
according  to  the  width  of  the  material  needed.  Lay 
the  cloth  on  the  floor  and  pencil-mark  the  cuttings  and 
reinforcement  lines  to  be  made. 

There  may  be  used  for  grommet  rings:  A.  One- 
half-inch  galvanized  or  brass  grommets  from  the  hard- 
ware store  or  tent  and  awning  maker.  Cut  a  hole  in 
the  form  of  an  X  in  the  tent  goods,  insert  the  ring  be- 
tween the  layers  of  the  goods,  and  sew  with  a  double 
thread,  working  around  the  ring  as  in  making  a  button 
hole.  B.  A  three-eighths-inch  thimble  in  the  X  hole, 
cutting  in  the  hem,  then  slipping  on  the  ring  and 
turning  over  the  edge  of  the  thimble  with  the  help  of  a 
sailor's  fid  or  a  No.  20  spike.  This  cinches  the  ring 
and  holds  the  fabric  firmly. 

WATERPROOFING  METHODS 

Unless  specially  treated,  cloth  will  start  to  leak  upon 
touching  the  roof  during  a  rain.  Processing  a  tent  to 
make  it  waterproof  will  avail  little  if  the  right  kind  of 
cloth  is  not  used  in  the  first  place.  Say  you  are  using 
muslin  of  close  weave — or  the  so-called  balloon  silk. 
There  are  several  grades  on  the  market,  some  being 
so  closely  woven  as  to  exclude  water  pretty  well 
without  any  special  waterproofing,  while  others  are  of 
loose  weave  and  soak  up  water  like  a  sponge  and 
filter  the  liquid  through  like  a  sieve.  But  the  close 
weave,  when  treated  with  the  process,  will  envelope  the 
fibers  so  they  cannot  soak  up  water  or  let  it  through, 
the  interstices  between  the  fibers  being  filled  up. 
[  101  ] 


Any  cloth  which,  when  held  up  to  the  light,  allows  pin- 
holes  of  the  weave  to  leak  light  will  surely  leak  under 
water  also.  A  satisfactory  method  of  waterproofing 
is  to  use  preserve  or  canvasek,  or  to  put  a  pound 
of  paraffin  shavings  into  sufficient  turpentine  to  liquefy. 
This  is  done  with  heat — by  setting  the  pail  in  a  tub  of 
boiling  water  away  from  a  fire  and  stirring  well. 
Paint  this  over  the  cloth  and  hang  it  up  to  dry. 


[iot] 


7    1/2 
TARPAULIN  TENT 


I  103  1 


CHAPTER  XI 

Tips  on  Teepees 

IF  one  could  prevail  upon  Father  Time  to  set  back 
the  clock  a  sufficient  number  of  years,  say  to  the  epoch 
of  the  great  fur-trading  days  on  the  upper  Missouri  or 
to  the  time  when  Cody  hired  out  to  the  Union  Pacific 
construction  crews  to  keep  them  supplied  with  buffalo 
meat,  we  might  visit  the  camps  of  the  plains  Indians 
when  they  were  as  yet  unspoiled  by  the  "educating"  in- 
fluences of  the  white  man.  Forced  by  primitive 
necessities  they  could  have  been  found  to  have  de- 
veloped a  skill  in  woodcraft  which  is,  by  common 
consent,  conceded  never  to  have  been  surpassed. 

Living  close  to  nature,  their  daily  needs  were  sufficed 
by  the  simplest  of  utensils  and,  compelled  by  strong 
initiative,  their  handicraft  developed  to  the  highest 
degree  of  effectiveness.  The  camper  of  today  can 
take  many  lessons  in  wilderness  living  from  the 
American  Indian.  In  fact,  the  farther  we  get  from  the 
ultra-civilization  of  our  modern  high-speed  life  and  the 
deeper  we  penetrate  into  the  wilderness,  the  simpler 
must  be  the  outfit  and  the  greater  must  be  our  skill  in 
woodcraft.  For  three  things  in  particular  are  we 
indebted  to  the  ingenuity  of  the  Indian — the  canoe, 
the  moccasin,  and  the  teepee  tent.  We  have  made 
multitudinous  adaptive  improvements  on  these  three 
in  order  to  more  nearly  compensate  for  the  needs  which 
modern  life  now  devolve  upon  us,  but  the  footwear,  the 
boat,  and  the  home  of  the  Redman  yet  stand  alone  as 
[  104  ] 


TENTS  YOU  CAN  MAKE  AT  HOME 

1.  The  Auto  Shanty  Tent. 

2.  The  "A"  or  Wedge  Tent. 

3.  The  Lone  Cruiser  Tent. 


Hskir.J  the   Teep««  .   C.P.ror jyce. 

MAKING  THE  TEEPEE 


TIPS  ON  TEEPEES 

products  best  suited  to  the  primitive  uses  for  which 
they  were  intended. 

The  moccasin  is  undoubtedly  the  best  footgear  for 
woods  wear,  and  the  canoe  is  still  the  choice  of  river- 
men  on  the  northern  lakes  and  streams.  In  spite  of 
many  arraignments  of  the  teepee  we  can  still  find 
it  in  use  by  hunters  and  campers  who  know  how 
to  use  it  properly.  It  is  particularly  adapted  for 
the  outing  which  is  taken  in  seasons  prone  to  bad 
weather,  and  with  modifying  improvements  is  par- 
ticularly suitable  to  camping  conditions  found  in  a  very 
wide  traveling  range  from  the  timbered  valleys  of  the 
mountains  to  the  broad  expanse  of  treeless  plains. 
General  utility  would  seem  to  be  sufficient  enough 
reason  for  the  popular  usage  of  this  shelter,  but  also 
— who  would  not  enjoy  the  comfort  of  an  open  fire 
within  his  outdoor  domicile  or  who  would  not  allow  his 
latent  primitive  instincts  to  revel  in  the  picturesque- 
ness  of  living  in  a  real  Indian  teepee? 

From  the  standpoint  of  practicality,  as  has  been 
intimated,  the  teepee  is  under  severe  arraignment. 
The  modern  camper,  acting  as  plaintiff,  alleges  it 
guilty  on  several  counts.  On  the  side  of  defendant  for 
the  teepee,  which  stands  as  Exhibit  A,  are  retained  the 
services  of  the  reliable  guide  who  speaks  with  the 
wisdom  of  experience.  The  jury  is  composed  of 
hard-headed  business  men  who  are  attired  jauntily  in 
smartly  tailored  outing  duds  and  who  for  a  time  wish 
to  change  the  effete,  enervating  life  of  the  city  for  the 
virile  outdoors  and  want  to  live  therein  simply  and 
comfortably,  in  a  teepee — if  they  are  satisfied  that  it 
is  the  tent  for  their  need. 

I  105  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

The  typical  Indian  tent  with  its  various  cognomens — 
"teepee,"  "lodge,"  and  "wigwam,"  is  described  as 
"a  cone-shaped  skin  or  cloth  shell,  supported  by  a 
many-poled  framework,  permitting  the  use  of  an  open 
fire  within,  whose  diffusible  products  of  combustion 
gain  ample  exit  through  an  opening  in  the  peak."  The 
principal  objections  to  it  are  that  it  is  apt  to  smoke  its 
occupants  out  into  the  cruel,  cold  world,  and  that  too 
many  poles  are  required  to  pitch  it. 

In  the  proper  construction  and  manipulation  of  such 
a  tent  lies  the  secret  of  successful  use,  and  I  am  not  so 
sure  but  that  most  of  the  failures  with  this  shelter  may 
be  traced  to  improper  pitching  and  the  control  of  the 
air  currents  for  draft.  Once  you  get  the  theory  of  the 
thing,  the  objections  vanish.  As  before  noted,  the  peak 
is  open  and  a  wind  hood  is  affixed  so  that  it  closes  the 
top  opening  on  the  windward  side,  thus  utilizing  the 
wind  as  it  sweeps  by  the  top  to  carry  away  the  heated, 
smoky  air  of  the  tent.  The  lower  edge  of  the  teepee 
cover  is  staked  some  three  to  four  inches  from  the 
ground  on  the  windward  side  to  allow  the  outside  air  to 
enter.  That  it  may  not  go  directly  upon  the  fire  and 
bed,  we  provide  a  wind  wall  whose  lower  edge  is  con- 
fined to  the  ground  around  the  edge  of  the  tent  like 
a  sod-cloth  and  which  [extends  upward  one-third  of  the 
way  to  the  peak,  where  it  is  suspended  by  tape  ties. 
Thus  the  draft  principle  is  much  like  that  of  a  common 
stove  where  we  open  the  ash-pan  door  to  let  in  fresh  air 
— which  then  rushes  upward  as  a  draft  to  the  outlet  flue. 

The  presence  of  the  teepee  fire  provides  comfort  in 
all  kinds  of  weather  and  is  especially  appreciated  when 
rain  or  cold  makes  ordinary  camping  a  misery.  You 
[  106] 


TIPS  ON  TEEPEES 

manage  the  smoke  by  swinging  the  smoke  flaps  so  the 
vent  is  down  wind.  A  clear  fire  is  imperative,  and 
for  this  only  the  driest  and  best  woods  suffice.  A 
mighty  handy  contrivance  for  use  in  fire-making  is 
the  inspirator  described  by  Stewart  Edward  White,  as 
follows:  "It  consists  of  a  piece  of  small  rubber  tube, 
two  feet  or  so  in  length,  into  one  end  of  which  is  forced 
a  brass  cylinder  three  or  four  inches  long.  The  ex- 
tremity of  the  brass  cylinder  is  then  beaten  out  so  that 
its  opening  is  flat.  To  encourage  a  fire,  you  simply 
apply  the  brass  nozzle  to  the  struggling  fire  and  blow 
steadily  through  the  rubber  tube.  The  result  is  an 
effect  midway  between  a  pair  of  bellows  and  a  Bunsen 
burner." 

The  old  teepees  were  made  of  buffalo  skins — im- 
pervious to  weather  and  spark-proof.  One  of  these  old- 
time  lodges  is  now  preserved  as  a  relic  of  the  handi- 
craft of  the  Blackfeet  Indians,  in  the  lobby  of  the 
Glacier  Park  Hotel.  As  now  made  these  tents  are  of 
canvas  or  balloon  silk.  Imperatively  this  cloth  must 
be  fire-proof,  and  this  effected  by  treating  the  tent  to 
the  solution  recommended  by  J.  B.  Tighe.  "Immerse 
the  fabric  in  a  solution  of  thirty-five  grains  of  am- 
monium phosphate  and  seventy-five  grains  of  am- 
monium chloride  to  each  pint  of  water.  (The  size  of 
the  tent  will,  of  course,  govern  the  total  amount 
needed.)  After  soaking  the  tent  well  in  this  solution, 
hang  up  to  dry."  No  fear  now  of  burning  the  cloth 
and  it  is  waterproof  as  well. 

Opponents  of  the  teepee  point  to  the  smoke  nuisance 
as  being  one  of  the  objectionable  features,  but  this  is 
obviated  by  the  employment  of  the  wind  wall.  The 
I  107] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

other  serious  objection  is  that  so  many  poles  are 
needed.  In  timbered  country,  poles  are  easily  pro- 
cured, but  this  becomes  an  irksome  chore  if  the  camp  is 
moved  often.  On  the  plains  it  is  necessary  to  carry  the 
poles  along.  Various  makeshifts  have  been  evolved  to 
obviate  this  difficulty.  The  Sibley  tent  is  much  like 
the  teepee,  but  it  eliminates  all  the  poles  except 
the  one  which  rests  on  an  iron  tripod  placed  over  the 
fire.  We  can  simplify  this  still  more  by  having  but  a 
single  iron  rod  next  the  ground,  extending  upward 
three  feet  and  continued  to  the  peak  as  a  wooden  pole. 
The  peak  attachment  is  by  three  ropes  from  the  tip  of 
the  pole  leading  down  to  a  wooden  ring  (such  as  a  small 
barrel  hoop)  which  is  attached  to  the  tent  as  an  in- 
tegral part  of  it.  From  this  ring  reinforcing  tapes 
extend  down  the  tent  cloth  toward  the  bottom. 

One  can  also  pitch  a  teepee  by  making  a  tripod  of 
poles  outside  and  tying  the  top  rope  to  the  apex  of  the 
tripod,  or  one  can  stick  the  end  on  a  pole  in  the  ground 
and  lean  the  other  end  against  a  tree  and  yet  have  a 
stable  support  for  the  top  rope.  Instead  of  poles  at  all, 
one  can  use  the  top  rope  fastened  to  the  limb  of  a  tree, 
the  tent  bottom  being  at  all  times  well  pegged  down 
on  the  level  piece  of  ground  which  has  been  chosen  as 
a  camp  site.  Whether  one  uses  a  single  or  several  poles, 
it  is  of  utmost  importance  to  have  them  collapsible. 
Say  you  need  a  six-foot  pole — you  cut  it  into  two-foot 
lengths  and  have  a  tinsmith  make  for  each  joint  a 
snugly  fitting  galvanized  metal  tube  or  ferrule  just 
slightly  larger  than  the  diameter  of  the  pole  and  six 
inches  long.  The  hinge  is  simply  a  piece  of  galvanized 
sheet  metal  made  as  per  diagram  with  holes  in  either 
[  108  ] 


TIPS  ON  TEEPEES 

end.  The  two  poles  to  be  jointed  are  sawed  longi- 
tudinally three  inches  deep,  the  metal  plate  inserted, 
and  nails  driven  through  the  wood  and  holes  in  the 
metal  and  clinched.  Fit  this  hinge  with  the  poles 
lying  side  by  side,  then  when  they  are  extended  and  the 
slip  sleeve  is  pulled  down  to  cover  the  break,  it  becomes 
a  rigid  joint.  The  poles  are  of  hard  wood  of  small 
diameter  (like  a  broomstick)  such  as  is  sold  at  hard- 
ware stores  as  long  handles  for  fish  spearing  or  window 
swabbers. 

The  Indian  tent  is  easily  made.  You  will  need 
twenty-two  yards  square  of  OXX  muslin  or  spin- 
naker duck,  fifty  feet  of  three-sixteenths-inch  brained 
cotton  rope,  a  piece  of  beeswax,  some  strong  twine, 
sailmaker  needles,  several  rolls  of  cotton  tape  a  half 
inch  wide  for  use  as  reinforcements,  and  two  dozen 
galvanized  iron  grommet  rings.  Sew  the  material  into 
a  piece  20x10  feet  and  lay  it  perfectly  flat;  at  the 
center  on  one  side  (a)  place  a  nail  and  run  from  it  a  non- 
elastic,  ten-foot  cord.  Loop  the  other  end  of  the  cord 
and  with  a  soft  pencil  draw  a  semicircle  from  (k)  to  (1) 
and  on  to  (m).  Sew  in  a  two-inch  reinforcement  strip 
around  the  border  of  the  circle,  which  is  to  be  the  base 
of  the  tent,  and  every  eight  inches  puncture  the  goods 
and  sew  in  a  grommet  ring  with  the  waxed  thread. 
These  are  to  be  used  with  the  tie  ropes  to  attach  the 
edge  of  the  tent  to  the  ground  pegs.  The  hood  and 
smoke  flap  are  patterned  according  to  the  diagram. 
Cloth  tape  strips  are  sewed  in  for  attachment  of  the 
wind  wall  and  along  the  front  edges  from  (k)  to  (b) 
and  from  (o)  to  (m)  for  closing  the  tent  floor.  The 
wind  wall  is  a  strip  of  cloth  five  and  a  half  inches  wide 
[  109  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

and  as  long  as  the  outer  circumference  of  the  tent; 
on  one  side  are  sewed  tapes  every  twelve  inches  for 
suspending  from  the  corresponding  tapes  on  the  inside 
of  the  outer  shell. 

In  pitching  the  tent,  we  lay  it  on  the  ground  so  that 
the  doorway  is  leeward  to  the  prevailing  winds  and  tie 
the  tapes  (k)  to  (m).  This  makes  a  circle.  Next  we 
peg  down  at  (k),  (1),  (e),  and  (f).  Preferably  use  a 
single  collapsible  pole.  To  its  upper  end  we  tie  the 
rope  found  at  the  top  of  the  hood  and  from  this  point 
attach  two  ropes  which  are  to  regulate  the  smoke  flaps, 
being  tied  to  the  ropes  by  their  corner  tapes.  The 
Indians  used  poles  which  fitted  into  pockets  in  the 
corners  of  the  smoke  flaps  and  varied  the  position  of 
the  poles  as  the  wind  veered.  The  ropes  are  pegged 
down  away  from  the  tent  so  as  to  adjust  the  smoke 
flaps  where  we  want  them.  The  pole  is  then  raised  and 
the  lower  end  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  circle.  Now 
we  finish  staking  the  tent  down  around  the  bottom 
and  put  up  the  wind  wall,  tying  its  top  to  the  tapes 
provided  one  third  of  the  way  up  from  the  ground,  and 
tuck  the  bottom  around  the  base  of  the  tent,  leaving 
space  between  it  and  the  tent  on  the  windward  side  and 
plenty  of  room  at  the  bottom  for  the  ingress  of  air. 
Hold  your  hand  near  the  top  of  the  tent  and  you  will 
note  the  air  current  shooting  upward,  which  will  carry 
off  the  smoke  and  gases  of  the  fire,  which  can  now  be 
built. 

The  teepee  is  easily  made,  and  one  will,  with  this 
style  of  tent,  have  a  decided  advantage  in  being  able 
to  sit  cosily  at  the  fire  and  feel  a  certain  independ- 
ency of  inclement  weather. 

[no] 


CHAPTER  XII 

Utilizing  Balloon  Silk  in  Camp 

WATERPROOF  balloon  silk  has  revolutionized  tent 
making  and  using.  It  is  a  boon  to  the  camper,  and 
it  has  made  possible  an  efficient  shelter  without  one's 
having  to  lug  around  a  man-pound  canvas  affair. 
Probably  this  one  item  alone  is  more  largely  re- 
sponsible than  anything  else  for  the  increasing  popu- 
larity of  knapsack  trips.  The  ingenious  woodcrafter, 
in  studying  out  the  short  cuts  and  simple  ruses  to  get 
utility  in  maximum  quantity  out  of  a  minimum  of 
outfit,  has  been  able  to  find  out  that  the  balloon  silk  has 
many  other  uses  than  that  of  tent  making,  and  the 
fabric  should  be  credited  with  being  indispensable 
wherever  campers  congregate  to  solve  the  problems  of 
light  outfitting. 

In  reality  balloon  silk,  so-called,  is  not  a  silk  at  all, 
but  a  very  closely  woven  unbleached  muslin.  It  does 
not  absorb  moisture  when  treated  to  the  waterproofing 
process,  it  is  exceedingly  durable,  is  rot-proof,  and  in 
every  way  desirable  for  the  purposes  for  which  it  was 
designed. 

The  regulation  balloon  silk  may  be  purchased  al- 
ready made  up  in  the  tent  forms  one  may  choose  to  use, 
or  it  may  be  bought  by  the  yard  at  the  stores  of  the 
largest  outfitters,  or  it  may  be  prepared  at  home  by 
methods  which  will  be  detailed  later.  It  is  sold  in  a 

8  [  in  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

trio  of  colors:  green,  tan,  and  white.  Green  is  rest- 
ful to  the  eye,  is  comparatively  inconspicuous,  modifies 
the  sun  glare,  and  does  not  beckon  the  myriads  of 
forest  insects  to  the  human  feast.  Tan  or  khaki  is  now 
in  the  heyday  of  popularity,  blends  with  the  general 
color  scheme  of  the  autumn  woods,  is  cool,  and  like 
the  green  does  not  display  the  trade-marks  of  usage 
so  much  as  the  white  shade.  When  waterproofed, 
none  of  these  fabrics  increase  the  original  pack  weight, 
if  transported  after  a  rainy  spell. 

One  may  prepare  similar  cloth  at  home  by  buying 
unbleached  muslin,  No.  OXX,  or  Egyptian  Sail  Cloth, 
utilizing  Diamond  Dyes  to  effect  the  desired  color  of 
green  or  tan,  then  waterproofing  by  the  paraffin 
process,  or  both  waterproofing  and  fireproofing  by  the 
lime  and  alum  bath. 

Waterproofing  is  most  satisfactorily  done  by  the 
following  methods: 

Paraffin  Process. — This  one  is  used  by  most  manu- 
facturers and  is  most  easily  accomplished  by  the  novice. 
Into  a  tin  container  is  placed  one  gallon  of  gasoline 
and  one  and  one-half  pounds  of  chipped  paraffin. 
The  vessel  is  put  out  in  the  sun  or  other  warm  place 
(never  near  a  flame)  and  when  the  solution  is  effected, 
outdoors,  it  is  spread  upon  the  stretched  cloth  with  a 
brush  or  a  sponge.  The  gasoline  evaporates,  leaving  a 
thin  coating  of  paraffin  in  the  fibers  of  the  cloth. 

Lime  and  Alum  Process. — Fireproof  cloth  is  nearly 
as  desirable  as  waterproof.  Many  camps  have  been 
burned  by  sparks  which  have  fallen  on  the  tent  roof, 
which  has  been  rendered  hot  by  the  heat  of  the  nearby 
fire  or  sun.  A  spark  falling  on  a  fireproofed  tent  leaves. 
I  ii*  J 


UTILIZING  BALLOON  SILK  IN  CAMP 

at  most,  but  a  small  round  hole,  and  not  utter  de- 
struction. 

The  tent  is  immersed  overnight  in  a  solution  of  four 
ounces  of  alum,  ten  ounces  of  lime,  and  ten  quarts  of 
water,  which  has  been  prepared  by  mixing  and  allow- 
ing to  stand  until  clear.  Only  the  clear  solution  is  to 
be  used.  Rinse  in  lukewarm  water,  stretch  and  dry 
in  the  sunshine.  The  fibers  of  the  cloth  are  filled  with 
an  insoluble  lead  acetate  and  alum  and  it  is  thus 
rendered  efficiently  fire-  and  water-proof. 

These  processes  only  add  to  the  effectiveness  of  the 
cloth  itself,  for  the  ability  of  a  fabric  to  shed  water 
depends  upon  the  fineness  of  the  weave,  and  not  upon 
the  weight  of  the  cloth.  Balloon  silk  has  a  weight  of 
but  three  and  three-fifths  ounces  per  square  yard, 
while  waterproofed  twelve-ounce  duck  tips  the  scales 
at  sixteen  ounces. 

Food  Bags. — Grub  compounds  of  the  camp  outfit 
are  most  conveniently  and  safely  carried  in  water- 
proofed balloon  silk  bags  with  tie  strings  near  the  top. 
The  dimensions  of  the  parts  are:  A  disk,  nine  inches  in 
diameter,  which  is  to  serve  as  the  bottom,  and  a 
rectangular  section,  10x27  inches.  Overlap  the  edge 
for  a  half-inch  from  D  to  F,  sew  to  reinforce,  and  near 
the  middle  affix  a  ten-inch  tape  to  serve  as  a  tie  string. 
To  complete  the  bag,  sew  A  to  B,  beginning  at  C,  and 
then  the  edges  D  and  F. 

Balloon  Silk  Bucket. — Take  one  of  the  food  bags  and 
secure  a  wooden  hoop  nine  inches  in  diameter  (the  hoop 
used  by  women  in  embroidering  is  the  proper  thing), 
and  sew  into  the  bag  top  by  overlapping  a  half-inch. 
A  heavy  tape  is  securely  affixed  on  either  side  to  serve 
[  »3  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

as  a  handle  or  carrier.  To  prevent  water  splashing 
out,  it  is  well  to  sew  in  an  extra  top  (B),  which  con- 
sists of  a  piece  of  balloon  silk  twenty-seven  inches  long 
and  five  inches  wide,  sewed  in  below  the  hoop  and  with 
a  tie  string  at  the  top.  Such  a  contrivance  will  add 
very  little  appreciable  weight  to  an  already  heavy  pack, 
and  it  is  of  undoubted  value  and  utility. 

The  Hikers  Rain  Cape. — Nature  can  in  no  way  mar 
the  pleasure  of  an  outdoor  trip  so  effectively  as  by  rain. 
Decidedly,  it  is  no  fun  to  hit  the  trail,  make  camp,  and 
cook  when  Pluvius  decrees  that  he  will  take  a  hand  in 
your  outing.  It  is  bad  enough  to  have  to  hunt  burnable 
firewood,  to  have  your  pack  soaked,  and  to 'have  to 
seek  a  night's  repose  on  the  soaked  bosom  of  our 
terrestial  sustainer,  but  wet  camps  dampen  the  spirits 
of  the  ardent  recreationist  and  effectively  destroy  that 
morale  which  upholds  one  in  overcoming  the  difficulties 
incidental  to  trail  life  everywhere. 

The  resourceful  woodcrafter  employs  his  unique 
artifices  to  replace  luxurious  appointments  of  civilized 
living,  and  when  up  against  a  wet  spell  the  various  uses 
of  balloon  silk  have  come  to  be  the  greatest  kind  of  a 
boon.  It  protects  one's  camp  by  the  shelter  overhead, 
one's  back  from  moist  ground,  and  if  one  wishes  to  travel 
in  a  pourdown  he  can  elect  to  utilize  a  rain  cape  which, 
composed  of  balloon  silk,  will  render  the  greatest 
service,  yet  encumber  the  pack  by  a  very  little  added 
weight. 

The  army  poncho  is  in  common  use,  but  .the  rain 
cape  is  far  better,  having  all  the  good  points  of  a 
poncho,  it  protects  the  arms  better;  it  can  be  slipped 


Water 
Bucket. 


Side  plan 


Camera 
Cover. 


Food    Bad. 
W 


HOMEMADE  NECESSARIES  FOR  THE  CAMPER 


I  Ii5l 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

on  over  arms  and  pack  and  yet  leaves  the  arms  free 
enough  and  is  airy  underneath. 

You  get  a  piece  of  the  silk  thirty-six  inches  wide  and 
seventy-two  inches  long  for  the  body  of  the  cape,  and 
lay  it  on  the  floor.  Get  another  piece  of  silk  ten  inches 
wide  and  seventy-two  inches  long  for  the  front  flaps, 
and  sew  on  a  B  to  C.  Before  cutting  the  circle,  measure 
twenty-two  inches  in  from  either  end  of  the  front  flap 
piece;  that  is,  in  from  D  and  E.  Now,  at  the  center, 
put  in  a  nail  to  floor  and  stretch  from  it,  by  a  loop,  a 
string  which  will  extend  to  F,  where  another  loop  is 
made  and  pencil  used  to  follow  the  semicircle  around 
to  B-G  and  C-R.  Cut  along  this  line,  turn  over  a 
half-inch,  and  hem  to  reinforce.  Draw  a  straight  line 
from  the  center  A  to  M  and  N,  and  cut.  Make  a 
circular  opening  six  inches  in  diameter  at  A  for  the 
neck,  sew  in  an  upright  collar  one  inch  high,  and  on  the 
neck  piece  sew  a  strap  of  double  thickness  balloon 
silk  with  button  holes  to  secure  the  cape  to  buttons 
at  Y;  provide  at  XX  small  buttons  and  holes  for  them 
at  RR  in  the  front  flaps. 

Camera  Cover. — Trail  dust  is  capable  of  working 
through  almost  inconceivable  openings,  and  the  camera 
shutter  must  be  protected,  or  it  will  gum  up  and  lag 
and  your  photos  be  ruined.  On  a  recent  motor  trip  to 
the  coast  from  Kansas  City,  I  stopped  at  the  Grand 
Canyon,  where  I  found  my  shutter  absolutely  gummed 
up  with  desert  alkali  dust.  A  balloon  silk  cover  would 
have  prevented  this,  for  I  made  one  in  Portland  later 
and  even  the  fine  alkali  of  eastern  Oregon  and  Idaho 
failed  to  work  in  and  affect  the  working  parts.  Such  a 
protection  slipped  over  the  carrying  case  kept  out  dirt 
[  116] 


UTILIZING  BALLOON  SILK  IN  CAMP 

particles  and  kept  the  camera  dry.  I  first  cut  out  the 
sides,  which  were  made  one-fourth  inch  larger  than  the 
side  of  the  camera  cover  and  four  inches  longer;  then 
I  sewed  in  two  loops  on  each  side  through  which  later  is 
to  be  threaded  the  shoulder  straps;  next,  I  cut  out  in 
one  piece  the  front  and  back,  which  were  the  same 
width  as  the  cover,  but  eight  inches  longer  (four  inches 
for  either  piece  of  front  or  back).  The  sides  were  then 
sewed  to  the  front  and  back  pieces,  a  piece  of  one-half- 
inch  tape  attached  near  the  top  for  a  tie  string,  the 
shoulder  straps  removed  from  the  regular  leather  cover 
and  threaded  through  the  cloth  loops,  and  the  affair  was 
ready  for  business,  which  it  did  to  a  perfectly  satis- 
factory degree. 

Balloon  Silk  Pack  Sack. — The  best  pack  sack  and 
the  simplest  was  originated  and  put  out  by  Poirier,  of 
Duluth,  over  twenty-five  years  ago,  and  it  was  really 
the  white  man's  improvement  on  the  Indian  tump-line 
and  pack  cloth,  so  ingeniously  folded  and  tied  as  to 
serve  as  a  sack  suspension  harness.  The  shoulder 
straps  have  the  desirable  single  point  suspension,  and 
the  head  strap  enables  the  wilderness  voyageur  to  ease 
up  different  sets  of  muscles  while  on  the  trail  and  in 
handling  a  load.  The  combined  use  of  the  neck  and 
shoulder  muscles  are  brought  into  play. 

The  pack  should  be  carried  so  that  the  bulge  fits 
the  hollow  of  the  back.  As  manufactured,  it  consists 
of  heavy  leather  straps  and  double-filled  canvas  sack. 
I  have  made  and  used  to  my  entire  approval  a  sack 
made  of  reinforced  balloon  silk  and  a  harness  of  cloth 
webbing  which  stands  service,  is  waterproof,  is  very 
light  in  weight,  and  the  harness  does  not  stretch  as 
leather  does.  [  117  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

To  make,  procure  a  piece  of  balloon  silk  1 8x54  inches. 
Reinforce  by  sewing  a  double  thickness  two-inch  strip  of 
balloon  silk  through  the  middle  from  one  end  to  the 
other.  Sew  in  a  4x5  pocket  for  the  axe,  with  one  side 
open  and  located  next  the  line  A-B;  a  tape  for  axe 
handle  security  opposite  this;  two  two-foot-long 
shoulder  straps  of  two-inch-wide  furniture  webbing; 
a  two-inch-wide  head  strap  of  the  same  material 
(two  feet  long),  and  three  small  tapes  at  one  end  for  the 
closure  of  sack,  and  corresponding  suspender  clasps 
at  the  other  end  for  their  reception.  Now  fold  the 
whole  sack  cloth  at  A-B,  so  that  C  and  A  coincide,  sew 
together;  do  similarly  on  the  other  side,  and  the  sack 
is  done.  The  saving  in  weight  in  back  packing,  where 
every  superfluous  ounce  must  be  eliminated,  will  be 
appreciated;  if  not  now,  it  will  be  after  hours  of  real 
wilderness  touring. 

The  Cruiser  Tent. — The  most  practical  tent  for  light- 
weight camp  outfits  where  full  protection  from  the 
elements  is  needed  is  one  of  the  cruiser  pattern,  made  of 
balloon  silk  and  then  waterproofed.  It  has  a  sewed-in 
floor,  ventilating  mosquito-proof  window,  and  it  can 
be  pitched  with  but  one  pole.  It  is  the  popular  tent 
among  the  mountaineering  clubs  of  our  Pacific  Coast 
region,  and  they  can  use  an  Alpenstock  for  its  support. 
It  furnishes  full  protection  for  two  men  camping  around 
snow  line,  where  tents  must  be  put  upon  uneven 
ground. 

This  tent,  after  thorough  test,  meets  all  the  re- 
quirements of  the  ideal  lightweight  shelter.  Were  it 
not  for  the  well-placed  cheesecloth  window,  one 
would  be  enclosed  in  an  almost  air-tight,  and  certainly 
I  118] 


No 
Sc; 


cale 


Shoulder 
Strep»- 


HIKER'S  TENT 
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Reinibrccmqit 

PACK  SACK 


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TRAIL  CRAFT 

water-tight,  storm-proof  cell.  Its  shape  is  such  as 
provides  sufficient  headroom  and  the  floor  is  big 
enough  for  a  double  bed.  Being  so  low,  it  is  well 
braced  and  weathers  severe  storms  well.  The  sewed-in 
floor  protects  the  bed  from  rain,  wind,  snakes,  insects, 
and  the  like.  Its  single  peak  makes  the  simplest  form 
for  suspension  from  an  overhanging  limb  or  single  pole. 
It  rolls  up  compactly  and  is  very  light.  One  gets  the 
lean-to  advantage  of  a  front  fire  reflected  into  the  tent 
and  down  upon  the  sleeper  by  simply  throwing  open 
the  front  flap. 

The  cruiser  tent  is  made  by  cutting  out  the  sections 
as  per  diagram.  The  pieces  had  best  be  reinforced,  as 
marked  at  the  corners  and  side,  by  sewing  in  a  little 
3X4-inch  square  of  the  tent  stuff.  A  6xio  window  is 
cut  out  of  the  roof  about  a  foot  from  the  center  line 
running  from  H  to  G.  This  is  covered  with  cheese- 
cloth sewed  to  the  top,  and  tapes  are  so  placed  as  to 
allow  of  its  being  rolled  up  when  the  window  is  to  be 
open. 

Begin  assembling  by  sewing  the  small  end  triangular 
piece  to  the  roof  approximating  H  to  B,  K  to  G,  and 
KI  to  GC.  Then  sew  in  the  floor  cloth,  stitching  AB 
to  AA;  BB  and  DC  to  DD-CC  of  the  floor  cloth. 
The  door  is  then  sewn  in ;  FG  to  HD  and  EG  to  EE-DD. 
Complete  the  tent  by  sewing  HI  of  the  end  to  BB-CC 
of  the  floor;  add  a  strong  tape  loop  at  G  and  H  of  the 
roof;  make  eight-inch  tie  strings  at  A,  B,  C,  D,  K,  L, 
and  EE;  provide  several  yards  of  strong  tarpon  line  to 
lead  from  G  and  H  for  pitching  the  tent,  and  your 
balloon-silk  home  is  ready  for  the  trail. 

[  120] 


CHAPTER  XIII 

Making  the  Recreation  Cabin 

No  cold  weather  camp  is  more  comfortable  or  secure 
in  time  of  storm  than  a  cabin.  Like  all  implements  of 
the  wilderness  dweller,  this  one  owes  its  origin  to 
practicality.  The  frontiersman,  pushing  the  out- 
skirts of  civilization  into  untrammeled  forests  with 
meagre  outfits  and  often  with  only  an  axe  for  a  build- 
ing tool,  utilized  materials  furnished  by  Nature  close 
at  hand.  Of  all  human  habitations,  this  one  represents 
best  the  character  of  its  builders — their  sturdiness, 
sufficing  aptitude  in  woodcraft,  and  permanency  of 
purpose. 

Ofttimes  the  sole  sign  of  civilization  in  a  forest 
primeval,  and  hewn  from  trees  nearby,  the  cabin  is 
essentially  a  product  of  its  environment.  The  pioneer, 
unlimited  in  his  fund  of  resource,  wrests  a  home  from 
the  wild  places,  and  he  beholds  no  gladder  sight  than 
the  welcome  red  gleams  from  the  cabin  window, 
lighting  the  pathway  along  the  snowy  aisles  and  be- 
speaking the  warmth,  cheer,  and  hospitality  of  the 
roaring  flames  in  the  open  fireplace  of  the  interior. 

The  forest  itself,  as  suggested,  may  furnish  all  the 
building  materials  needed  for  roof,  walls,  floor,  bed, 
heat,  and  light.  Perchance  the  means  of  transporta- 
tion or  proximity  to  supply  points  will  enable  one  to 
supplement  the  forest's  generous  offerings — maybe  a 
roll  of  tarred  roofing  paper,  a  glass  window,  or  a  stove. 


For  the  site  of  the  cabin,  choose  an  elevated  place 
sheltered  from  the  northern  winds,  preferably  on  the 
south  side  of  the  slope  and  backed  by  thick  groves  of 
forest  growth.  It  is  necessary  to  be  near  good  drinking 
water  and  a  dry  wood  supply.  In  front,  let  there  be  an 
open  exposure  to  the  sunlight  and  room  for  an  ex- 
pansive view  of  river,  valley,  or  forest  meadow. 

For  the  trapper,  the  cabin  will  be  a  permanent  home 
and  base  of  supplies  and  a  comfortable  camp  after  mak- 
ing the  run  of  traps — a  place  where  he  will  be  sheltered 
alike  from  the  elements  and  forest  marauders. 

Vary  the  length  of  the  house  according  to  the  length 
of  logs  most  easily  found  in  the  vicinity.  The  best 
size  one  believes  to  be  a  i  ox 1 2-foot  base,  with  walls  seven 
feet  high,  as  this  size  can  be  more  easily  kept  warm 
than  a  larger  one.  Thus  there  will  be  needed  twelve 
logs  arranged  in  tiers  for  each  of  the  sides  and  ends. 
Usually  one  straight  tree  will  furnish  two  logs,  and  one 
will  need  in  all  about  twenty-five  twelve-foot  and 
twenty-five  fourteen-foot  logs,  whose  average  diameter 
is  from  six  to  eight  inches,  the  extra  length  allowing  for 
the  corner  joints.  For  the  roof  will  be  needed  seven 
sixteen-foot  logs  to  be  used  as  beams.  Most  any  kind 
of  timber  will  do,  such  as  pine,  cedar,  fir,  spruce,  and 
even  poplar  or  aspen  will  suffice.  Many  log  cabins 
have  been  built  with  simply  an  axe  as  the  building  tool, 
but  the  addition  of  a  cross-cut  saw  and  supplies,  such 
as  window,  hinges,  nails,  etc.,  will  greatly  help. 

Level  the  chosen  site  for  the  forest  home,  clearing  off 
the  brush  and  stumps.  Where  the  corners  of  the  cabin 
are  to  rest,  imbed  flat  stones  to  bear  the  weight  where  it 
will  be  greatest.  Now  place  two  of  the  twelve-foot 


Fig.  3. 


Pole. 


Bottom  Trough. 
Fig.4. 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

foundation  logs  for  the  ends  at  respectively  the  front 
and  rear  of  the  proposed  building.  Now,  for  either  side 
wall  place  a  fourteen-foot  log  so  notched  as  to  fit  in 
with  similar  notches  in  the  end  logs,  giving  thus  a 
rectangular  log  foundation.  Fig.  i.  (p.  123.) 

The  notches  must  be  carefully  made  to  secure  an 
accurately-fitting  mortise  joint.  For  an  eight-inch  log, 
notch  one-fourth  its  diameter,  or  a  depth  here  of  two 
inches  is  sufficient.  Or  one  can  make  a  notch  one- 
half  the  diameter  of  the  log  on  its  under  side.  Fig.  i. 
When  in  place,  the  logs  in  tiers  should  meet  throughout 
their  entire  length,  but  usually  this  is  impossible  be- 
cause of  the  inequalities  of  the  surfaces.  This,  however, 
can  be  later  remedied  by  tamping  the  cracks  with 
mortar.  Next,  notch  and  place  two  more  end  logs,  and 
then  turn  two  more  side  logs,  and  so  on,  up  to  the  com- 
pletion of  the  walls,  ending  at  a  height  of  six  or  seven 
feet. 

Undoubtedly  the  notched  method  of  fixing  the 
corners  is  the  oldest  and  strongest,  but  there  are  other 
ways  of  making  good  corners.  If  available,  take  two 
heavy,  sawed  planks  or  split  logs  and  nail  them  to- 
gether in  the  form  of  a  V  or  trough.  Fig.  3.  Now 
stand  this  on  end  and  fit  it  over  the  corners  of  the  logs. 
Make  four  of  these  altogether,  one  spiked  to  each  corner 
of  the  bed  logs  of  the  cabin,  which  are  laid  on  the  solid 
rock  foundation  in  a  rectangle.  To  fit  the  ends  of  the 
logs,  mortise  them  by  removing  from  each  half,  as  is 
shown  in  Fig.  3.  Leave  no  protruding  ends,  for  there 
must  be  an  even  surface  to  spike  the  corner  trough  to. 

As  the  butt  end  of  each  log  is  of  larger  diameter  than 
the  top  end  when  placed  in  tiers,  these  ends  must  be 
[  124] 


MAKING  THE  RECREATION  CABIN 

alternated,  so  that  upon  the  base  of  one  log  rests  the 
butt  end  of  the  next  above,  so  the  wall  will  not  be 
higher  at  one  end  than  at  the  other.  As  the  walls 
grow  in  height  it  will  be  found  necessary  to  use  skids 
composed  of  logs  placed  against  the  top  of  the  wall, 
and  then  levers  or  block  and  tackle  may  be  employed 
to  raise  the  logs  to  their  places. 

Of  course,  your  cabin  is  not  to  be  a  closed  box, 
hence  allow  for  a  door,  a  window,  and  a  fireplace.  When 
the  wall  is  three  feet  high,  cut  out  a  four-foot  portion 
of  the  top  log  of  the  rear  wall  and  attach  the  sawed 
ends  by  cleats  to  the  whole  length  log  to  prevent  these 
ends  from  buckling.  There  is  now  room  for  the  use  of  a 
saw  as  a  starter  in  later  opening  the  wall  for  the  fire- 
place. Continue  the  wall  upward  as  before. 

In  the  same  way,  at  a  height  of  three  feet  and  on 
one  side  of  the  cabin,  cut  out  a  thirty-inch  piece  and 
cleat  into  place,  for  here  later  will  be  put  the  window. 
When  the  walls  reach  a  height  of  five  feet,  cut  out  of 
the  top  log  on  the  front  a  two-and-one-half-foot  space 
for  the  door.  Fig.  4. 

If  you  are  planning  to  cover  the  notched  corners 
of  the  logs  with  plank  trough,  it  may  be  well  in  the 
beginning  to  follow  an  entirely  different  plan  for  the 
openings  of  the  cabin.  As  soon  as  the  foundation  logs 
are  in  place,  make  a  door  jamb  from  planks  two  and 
one-half  by  six  feet,  set  into  place  over  the  threshold  on 
the  bottom  log  and  hold  there  temporarily  with  the 
supports,  allowing  it  to  extend  up  into  the  air.  Now 
you  can  utilize  short  logs  to  reach  from  the  door  frame 
to  the  corner  trough ;  these  should  be  spiked  into  place. 
Likewise  frame  up  the  fireplace  opening  two  feet  high 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

by  four  feet  long  on  the  rear  wall,  and  at  a  height  of 
three  feet  set  a  window  frame  in  one  of  the  side  walls. 
It  is  well  to  fashion  this  frame  into  a  perfect  fit  around 
the  standard  window  sash  you  may  have  brought  in 
with  you.  In  lieu  of  glass,  use  oiled  paper  or  celluloid. 
Carry  the  walls  up  to  a  height  of  about  six  feet 
from  the  foundation  and  direct  your  attention  next  to 
the  building  of  a  weather-proof  roof. 

THE  ROOF 

Two  sixteen-foot  logs  are  used  as  the  beams,  and 
they  are  notched  in  place  with  one  end  protruding  in 
front  of  the  cabin  to  form  a  shelter  or  porch.  Two 
twelve-foot  logs  are  then  notched  and  placed  over  these. 
Fig.  4.  Now  measure  twenty  inches  inward  from  the 
sides  on  the  twelve-foot  logs  and  notch  them  for  re- 
ceiving another  pair  of  notched  sixteen-foot  logs. 
Then  put  on  two  more  end  logs  (one  for  each  end)  and 
again  measure  in  from  the  side  wall,  only  this  time 
forty  inches,  and  place  there  a  properly  notched  sixteen- 
inch  log  as  before.  The  log  is  set  into  place  in  the 
center  to  serve  as  the  ridge  beam  of  the  roof.  Draw  a 
line  from  the  ridge  beam  to  the  lower  roof  beam  and 
saw  the  surplus  end  logs  away.  Fig.  4.  The  roof 
beams  make  fine  supports  for  shelves  on  which  to  store 
supplies. 

The  covering  of  the  roof  is  to  a  certain  extent  a 
measure  of  your  success  in  building  a  cabin  which  is  a 
perfect  shelter.  You  may  have  to  utilize  only  materials 
close  at  hand,  and  that  may  mean  a  roof  of  sod  or  dirt, 
but  with  a  froe  you  can  make  shakes,  or  rough  shingles 
from  the  forest,  or,  if  you  have  a  nearby  supply  point 
[  116] 


CABINS 

1.  A  cabin  built  of  native  lumber  and  a  fireplace  of  discarded  brick  make  r.n 

ideal  wilderness  habitat  for  week-end  trips  near  home. 

2.  The  cabin  is  essentially  a  product  of  its  environment:   Nature  furnishes  the 

materials— Man  does  the  rest. 


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MAKING  THE  RECREATION  CABIN 

and  proper  means  of  transportation,  manufactured 
shingles  or  tarred  roofing  paper  may  be  used.  During 
the  summer  months  many  cabin  builders  use  the  Dark 
of  such  easy-peeling  trees  as  cedar,  spruce,  hemlock,  or 
birch.  The  squares  are  placed  two-  or  three-ply  thick 
and  are  nailed  down  or  held  with  stones. 

A  great  many  Western  cabins  are  covered  with  sod. 
To  do  this  procure  a  large  number  of  straight  saplings 
and  lay  them  close  together,  extending  from  the  ridge 
beam  to  the  lower  roof  beam.  Lay  upon  these  a  matting 
of  grass  and  boughs,  and  cover  this  thickly  with  dirt  or 
sod.  Place  logs  at  the  edges  of  the  roof  or  tack  on  boards 
to  hold  the  sod  in  place,  as  it  becomes  weathered  and 
the  disintegrating  particles  seek  lower  levels. 

Of  course,  a  neater  and  more  permanent  roof  covering 
can  be  made  with  boards  or  tarred  roofing  paper. 
Flat  slabs  or  uniformly  straight  small  poles  should  be 
placed  alongside  and  secured  to  the  beams,  from  the 
ridge  beam  downward.  On  this  is  tacked  shakes  or 
other  roofing  material.  If  a  wood  which  is  easy  to 
split  is  nearby,  one  can  make  troughs  for  roofing. 
Split  the  logs  in  half  and  hollow  out  a  trough  on  the 
flat  side.  Resting  on  the  roof  beams,  place  a  trough, 
hollow  side  up,  and  beside  this  a  straight  sapling,  then 
another  trough  and  sapling  and  so  on.  Moss  or  clay 
should  now  be  used  to  fill  the  cracks.  The  eaves 
should  extend  over  about  eighteen  inches.  Over  each 
sapling  place  a  trough  with  the  hollow  side  down. 
Fig.  4.  Thus  the  edge  of  each  trough  meets  the  middle 
of  the  two  troughs  below.  A  large  trough  can  be  set 
over  the  roof  beam. 

If  you  have  not  provided  a  frame  for  the  door,  saw 

9  (  1*7  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

down  from  the  open  logs  on  either  side  to  the  threshold, 
as  described,  and  nail  in  place  a  door  frame.  Remove 
the  cleats.  The  upper  and  lower  logs  are  flattened  for 
lintel  and  sill.  Do  likewise  with  the  window.  Batten, 
together  a  number  of  slabs  for  a  door,  swing  on  hinges, 
so  it  will  open  inward,  and  improvise  a  latch.  Fig.  5. 

The  better  camps  will  have  a  floor,  because  such  is 
much  warmer  and  cleaner.  It  is  not  the  air  low  down 
which  makes  cold  sleeping  in  a  cabin  without  a  floor, 
but  it  is  the  damp  ground.  Small,  straight  saplings 
laid  side  by  side  over  the  ground  and  tamped  with 
moss,  mortar,  etc.,  make  a  nice  floor. 

Although  you  have  fitted  the  logs  in  the  walls  closely 
together,  there  are  many  cracks  remaining  between 
the  logs  which  must  be  closed.  In  the  larger  ones, 
pound  in  strips  of  wood.  Fill  the  smaller  cracks  with 
some  kind  of  mortar  which  will  not  become  disin- 
tegrated by  the  weather.  If  the  mortar  is  to  be  used  in 
making  a  fireplace,  it  must  withstand  fire  also. 

Any  of  the  following  serve  as  good  mortars: 

(a)  Swamp  lime  with  feathers,  moss,  or  dry  grass. 

(b)  Blue  or  yellow  clay  with  wet  sand. 

(c)  Clay  well  mixed  with  powdered  mussel  shell. 

(d)  Put  lime  in  a  tight  box  and  slack  it  by  wetting  with  water. 
This  makes  it  steam  and  heat,  so  you  must  keep  adding  water 
from  time  to  time  to  keep  the  lime  from  burning  or  slacking  dry. 
If  you  keep  it  at  about  the  consistency  of  thick  paint  it  will  be 
about  right.    Prepare  this  lime  several  days  before  needed  for 
use.    Now  take  one  cask  of  lime  to  six  bushels  of  sand  and  mix 
well.     If  you  add  Portland  cement  in  the  proportion  of  one  to 
two  quarts  to  each  pail  of  mortar,  the  mixture  will  be  much 
stronger  and  will  set  quicker. 


MAKING  THE  RECREATION  CABIN 

r 

THE  FIREPLACE 

The  heating  of  the  cabin  is  best  accomplished  with 
an  open  hearth  fire.  This  style  of  heating  plant  is 
no  economizer  of  fuel,  for  it  carries  much  of  the  heat 
out  the  chimney,  and  having  but  one  radiating  surface, 
a  large  fire  is  necessary  to  heat  a  room.  But  the  joy  it 
affords  more  than  compensates  for  the  lack  of  economy, 
for  what  is  more  home-like  than  to  sit  cosily  before  an 
open  log  fire  as  the  rain  patters  against  the  window 
panes  or  the  roof  becomes  laden  with  fresh-fallen 
snow  ?  The  making  of  a  fireplace  is  a  tedious  job  and  the 
construction  must  be  made  on  certain  mechanical 
principles  so  that  the  flue  and  the  reflecting  surfaces 
are  efficient.  (See  diagram  on  page  131.) 

Build  the  chimney  of  flat  stones  and  mortar  around 
the  space  you  have  cut  out  in  the  rear  of  the  cabin. 
Fig.  6  shows  a  portion  of  the  cabin  wall  and  side  of  the 
chimney  left  open  to  show  the  interior.  In  laying  the 
stones,  be  careful  to  keep  the  joints  in  each  layer  from 
coinciding  with  those  in  the  next  layer  above  and  below. 
The  timber  A,  which  arches  the  hearth,  must  be  heavy 
to  withstand  the  weight  of  one  side  of  the  chimney 
above,  and  must  be  covered  on  the  exposed  surface  with 
mortar  to  prevent  the  flames  from  leaping  up  and 
firing  it.  An  iron  bar,  if  available,  is  really  the  best. 

To  secure  a  proper  draft,  the  throat  of  the  flue 
opening  at  B  is  made  narrow  (three  inches)  by  building 
the  ledge  C  inward.  This  shelf  prevents  too  much  air 
rushing  down  and  it  also  accelerates  the  draft  upward. 
The  flue  passage  should  represent  10  per  cent  of  the 
opening  of  the  fireplace,  thus  the  flue  dimensions  of 
one  foot  long  by  three  inches  wide  will  be  amply  large 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

for  the  fireplace  opening,  the  width  of  which  is  four 
feet,  depth,  two  feet,  and  height,  two  feet. 

The  slant  of  the  shelf  brackets  from  C  to  D  is 
45  degrees.  Necessarily  the  base  of  the  chimney  will 
be  large  enough  to  enclose  the  ground  space  which  the 
fireplace  occupies  within,  but  after  reaching  the  shelf  C 
and  the  archlog  A,  one  can  reduce  the  chimney's  inside 
dimensions  to  a  foot  square  and  continue  thus  to  the 
top.  Fashion  an  iron  crane  to  revolve  from  a  pivot 
fixed  at  one  side  of  the  fireplace  E,  and  before  the  burn- 
ing logs  dig  a  small  hole  in  which  the  bean  pot  is  to 
rest  over  night. 


[130] 


Fig.  6. 
DIAGRAM  OF  CONSTRUCTION  OF  FIREPLACE 


CHAPTER  XIV 

Taking  the  Place  of  the  Doctor 

A  KNOWLEDGE  of  the  various  principles  of  first  aid  in 
the  efficient  treatment  of  the  ailments  encountered  on 
the  wilderness  trail  should  be  taken  as  a  solemn  re- 
sponsibility. Once  you  come  face  to  face  with  an 
accident  which  endangers  the  life  of  yourself  or  a 
companion,  you  will  realize  how  indispensable  is  this 
ability  to  meet  the  exigencies  incidental  to  active  out- 
door life — exigencies  which  force  you  alone  to  act, 
because  first  aid  is  generally  required  where  one  can- 
not shift  the  responsibility  by  stepping  to  a  telephone 
and  acquiring  the  assistance  of  an  expert  who  is 
trained  in  all  the  methods  of  the  healing  craft.  First 
aid  does  not  rival  the  physician,  but  simply  takes  his 
place  as  an  emergency  measure.  You  should  meet  the 
responsibility  with  preparedness  as  to  an  under- 
standing of  methods  and  an  efficient  first-aid  kit. 

Health  risks  may  present  themselves  in  endless 
variety,  and  votaries  of  the  vacation  idea  will  sometime 
find  use  for  a  compact  kit  of  a  few  remedies  and  certain 
surgical  indispensables.  This  security,  coupled  with 
an  alert  disposition  to  make  efficient  use  of  what  else 
lies  readiest  at  hand,  will  go  far  toward  meeting 
emergency  requirements,  and  meeting  them  not  alone 
sympathetically  but  practically  and,  to  a  degree  de- 
pendent upon  previous  study  and  training,  scientifically. 

Recognizing  that  accidents  occur  in  spite  of  all  pre- 

[  13*1 


cautions  and  that  they  are  usually  met  with  under 
certain  conditions  of  unpreparedness,  the  first  atten- 
tion is  to  decide  whether  the  mishap  is  obviously 
serious  or  delusively  trifling,  and  then  to  meet  the 
emergency  with  promptness,  cleanliness,  and  a  selection 
of  such  curative  measures  as  will  safeguard  life. 

A  certain  physician  of  the  generation  past  said  that 
the  main  rules  of  good  health  were  to  keep  the  head 
cool,  the  feet  warm,  and  the  bowels  open,  and  that,  if 
driven  to  it,  he  could  treat  satisfactorily  the  majority  of 
human  ailments  with  castor  oil  and  a  pain  reliever. 
While  this  is  a  broad  statement,  yet  most  compilers  of 
first-aid  outfits  err  on  the  side  of  too  much  equipment. 
We  will  need  to  take  something  to  be  used  internally  to 
relieve  pain  and  reduce  fever.  One  type  of  medicine 
will  do  both,  so  why  take  several  kinds?  Of  course, 
we  will  need  a  reliable  laxative — the  kind  we  have  found 
effective;  another  tablet  will  be  used  for  an  opposite 
effect  on  the  bowels  as  in  diarrhoea.  We  will  need  a 
stimulant  for  c[uick  work  as  in  fainting  and  shock,  and 
for  more  sustained  effect,  as  in  snake  bite.  We  will  want 
pure  water,  so  include  the  preparation  which  the 
army  uses  persistently  in  the  field.  Certain  balms  for 
the  skin,  a  good  surgical  antiseptic,  and  sterilized 
dressings  complete  essential  needs. 

Wilderness  travel  subjects  the  outfit  to  the  severest 
wear,  hence  the  kit  must  be  extremely  portable,  light 
in  weight,  and  most  compact,  and  yet  complete  enough 
to  meet  average  requirements.  I  am  not  a  slave  to 
any  marketed  outfit  yet  devised,  but  I  have  faithfully 
inquired  into  the  needs  of  first  aid  as  gleaned  from 
members  of  the  outdoor  clan.  I  have  endeavored  to 

[  133  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

meet  these  needs  with  the  most  approved  medicaments 
and  methods  in  vogue  which  anyone  can  safely  utilize. 
It  is  commendable  to  assemble  one's  own  first-aid  kit, 
and  all  its  units  should  be  replaceable  at  any  drug 
store.  Certain  items  are  particularly  adapted  to  first- 
aid  kits  and  are  well  worth  specifying. 

A  tin  tackle  or  bond  box  answers  admirably  for  the 
kit.  My  outfit,  with  the  exception  of  the  First-Aid 
Wound  Packet,  which  is  always  with  me  in  my  left 
shirt  pocket,  reposes  in  a  waterproofed,  cardboard, 
mailing  carton  or  cylinder  with  a  tin  screw  cap.  When 
this  is  carefully  packed,  the  few  glass  vials  recommended 
as  tablet  containers  are  not  taboo,  although  tablets 
may  be  packed  in  the  large  gelatin  capsules  pro- 
curable at  the  drug  stores. 

FIRST-AID  KIT— CHECK  LIST 

Tablets,  Aspirin,  12. 

Tablets,  Laxative,  24. 

Tablets,  Stimulant,  iz. 

Tablets,  Intestinal  Antiseptic,  12. 

Tablets,  Halazone  Water  Sterilizer,  24. 

Tablets,  Antiseptic,  12;  Marked  "Poison". 

Vials,  Tincture  Iodine,  3. 

Tablets,  Potassium  Permanganate,  1 2. 

Tube  Analgesic  Balm,  i  ounce. 

Tube  Carbolized  Vaseline,  i  ounce. 

First  Aid  Wound  Packet. 

Cotton,  i  ounce. 

Sterilized  Gauze,  i  yard. 

Bandage,  2  inches  by  10  yards. 

Z-O  Adhesive  Plaster,  i  inch  by  $  yards. 

Forceps,  Scissors,  Lance,  and  Safety  Pins. 

FIRST-AID  KIT — DESCRIPTION  AND  USES 

Aspirin. — In  tablets  of  five  grains  each.    A  remedy 
for  general  pain  and  fever  in  headache,  colds,  rheuma- 
[I34l 


TAKING  THE  PLACE  OF  THE  DOCTOR 

tism,  lumbago,  neuralgia,  etc.    Take  one  each  hour  for 
three  doses,  then  one  every  three  hours. 

Laxative  Pills. — Either  cascara  compound,  Hinkles', 
or  phenolax.  The  bowels  should  move  once  a  day. 
Take  one  or  two  pills  at  bedtime. 

Aromatic  Spirits  of  Ammonia. — This  is  the  preferred 
stimulant  as  used  by  the  army,  navy,  Red  Cross,  and 
by  physicians  generally,  because  it  is  safe,  powerful, 
portable,  reliable,  and  so  diffusible  that  it  can  be 
effectively  used  for  inhalation  when  a  person  cannot 
swallow.  For  our  kit,  we  would  specify  the  kind 
marketed  in  sealed  glass  capsules  which  is  covered  with 
cotton  and  well  packed  so  that  it  is  little  liable  to 
damage.  In  use  the  capsule  is  broken  between  the 
fingers  and  held  within  half  an  inch  of  the  nostrils  in 
cases  of  shock,  faintness,  sick  headaches,  etc. 

Tablets:  Stimulant. — Either  caffeine  citrate,  grain  one; 
monobrated  camphor,  grain  one;  or  strychnine  sul- 
phate, grain  one-thirtieth  in  each  tablet.  Used 
principally  in  snake  bite,  shock  to  the  system  in  ac- 
cidents, etc.  Take  one  every  three  hours.  The 
caffeine  in  coffee  and  tea  is  a  stimulant  which  is  safe 
and  easily  procured  and  much  preferable  to  alcohol. 

Tablets:  Intestinal  Antiseptic. — May  be  either  the 
aromatic  chalk  powder,  the  Intestinal  Antiseptic 
(Abbott),  or  bismuth  subgallate,  grains,  two  and  one- 
half  in  each  tablet,  used  to  control  disorders  of  the 
intestinal  tract.  Diarrhoea  as  well  as  vomiting  may 
be  taken  as  Nature's  effort  to  rid  the  system  of  offending 
substances,  so  we  should  first  aid  her  by  giving  a  laxa- 
tive, and  after  it  acts,  mildly  check  the  bowel  actions. 
Give  one  tablet  every  two  hours. 
[  135  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

Tablets:  Halazone. — Used  to  safeguard  the  camp's 
water  supply.  The  simplest  method  of  purifying  water 
is  to  boil  it  furiously  for  an  hour.  If  foreign  debris  is 
present,  it  can  be  readily  removed  by  filtering,  which 
may  consist  simply  of  pouring  through  absorbent  cotton 
held  in  a  funnel  or  in  the  cleansed  hand.  Halazone  is 
a  chemical  which  is  effective  even  in  dilutions  of  i  to 
500,000.  One  halazone  tablet  is  added  to  one  quart  of 
contaminated  water  and  in  twenty  minutes  the  clear 
liquid  is  safe  for  drinking. 

Tablets:  Chlorazene  Antiseptic. — Common  soap,  be- 
sides being  an  efficient  cleanser,  has  some  antiseptic 
action  and  all  wounds  and  the  adjacent  skin  must  be 
thoroughly  mopped  with  soap  and  a  cotton  swab.  One 
of  the  great  achievements  evolved  during  the  great 
war  was  the  production  of  Dakin's  Solution — a  chlorine- 
liberating  chemical  which  is  not  poisonous  to  tissues,  is 
non-corrosive  to  tissues,  promotes  healing,  and  is  an 
active  germicide.  In  fact,  so  potent  is  it  that  it  is  fifty 
times  as  effective  as  carbolic  acid  and  many  times  more 
active  than  corrosive  sublimate  and  at  the  same  time 
free  from  objectionable  features  of  these  products.  It 
is  marketed  in  handy  tablets  under  the  name  of 
CHLORAZENE  (Abbott  Laboratories,  Chicago).  Its 
obvious  use  is  in  the  care  of  infected  or  poisoned  wounds, 
and  with  rational  precautions  it  can  be  employed 
wherever  antiseptic  action  is  needed.  It  is  used  in 
a  i  per  cent  solution,  which  is  made  by  dissolving  one 
tablet  in  one  ounce  of  water. 

Tincture  of  Iodine. — Used  as  first-aid  treatment  of 
wounds  and  abrasions,  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  and 
popular  of  germicides,  penetrating  particularly  well 
I  136] 


TAKING  THE  PLACE  OF  THE  DOCTOR 

on  the  skin.  When  used  repeatedly,  it  causes  the  skin 
to  peel  off.  Iodine  is  best  carried  in  the  form  of  Trench 
Tubes,  which  are  glass  capsules  one  end  of  which 
tapers  and  is  covered  with  cotton.  In  use,  the  tapered 
end  is  broken  in  the  fingers  and  iodine-soaked  cotton  is 
used  brush-like  directly  to  swab  the  wound  and  sur- 
rounding skin.  Antiseptic  gauze  is  then  applied  to  the 
wound  and  held  in  place  with  a  bandage  or  adhesive 
strips.  The  sooner  after  an  injury  that  iodine  is  used, 
the  better.  Iodine  kills  germs,  prevents  infection  and 
blood  poisoning,  and  being  in  a  form  so  ready  to  use, 
is  the  ideal  first-aid  wound  dressing. 

Analgesic  Balm. — A  solid  liniment  consisting  of  a 
salve  in  which  is  incorporated  oil  of  wintergreen, 
camphor,  menthol,  and  eucalyptol,  and  put  up  in 
collapsible  metal  tubes.  It  is  applied  directly  to  the 
skin  with  the  finger  tips  to  relieve  pain  and  to  stimulate 
the  surface  circulation  in  sprains,  bruises,  lumbago,  and 
rheumatism,  and  takes  the  place  of  liquid  liniments, 
which  we  must  rule  out  as  far  as  possible  in  organizing 
the  camper's  kit. 

Potassium  Permanganate. — In  tablets  of  one  grain 
each  is  used  principally  in  snake  bite.  Two  dissolved 
in  half  a  pint  of  water  can  be  used  for  cleaning  a  cut 
or  sore.  It  makes  a  good  drinking  water  test.  If  water 
be  pure,  a  bit  of  permanganate  added  to  it  will  color 
it  a  beautiful  purple;  but  if  impure  for  drinking,  the 
color  will  be  a  muddy  brown. 

First-Aid  Wound  Packet.  (Johnson  &  Johnson,  New 
Brunswick,  N.  J.). — An  indispensable  item  con- 
taining all  the  materials  necessary  to  temporarily  dress 
almost  any  wound  that  can  be  possibly  the  result  of  any 
[  I37l 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

outdoor  injury,  and  so  compact  and  portable  that  one 
is  to  be  considered  almost  criminally  negligent  if  he 
does  not  carry  one  constantly  in  a  pocket  when  on  any 
camp  trip.  The  value  of  the  dressing  in  this  packet 
has  been  well  established,  and  it  has  been  shown  that 
it  can  be  applied  by  any  person  with  little  instruction 
and  in  the  safest  manner  without  danger  of  infecting 
the  wound.  Every  one  of  Uncle  Sam's  -doughboys 
carried  one.  In  general  first-aid  practice  it  is  used  as  a 
first  dressing,  a  more  permanent  dressing  to  be  applied 
afterward  under  more  favorable  circumstances.  Often 
no  other  dressing  is  needed.  It  consists  of  one  gauze 
bandage  with  compress  attached,  one  illustrated 
Esmarch  triangular  bandage,  and  two  safety  pins.  The 
Esmarch  bandage  is  conceded  to  be  the  most  useful 
in  the  world  for  it  can  be  applied  to  any  part  of  the 
body  or  used  as  a  sling.  It  is  put  up  in  water-  and 
dirt-proof  cloth  cover  or  in  a  thin  metal  can. 

The  Dressings  required  will  be  bulky  unless  you  go 
to  the  trouble  to  secure  those  made  by  Burroughs, 
Wellcome  &  Co.,  New  York,  which  are  compressed. 
You  will  want  for  minimum  necessities  compressed 
cotton,  one  ounce;  compressed  plain  absorbent  gauze, 
one  yard;  compressed  pleated  bandage,  two  and  one- 
half  by  six  yards.  Six  small  safety  pins,  small  forceps, 
scissors,  and  a  lance  complete  the  list. 

Adhesive  Plaster  is  a  closely  woven,  tough  cloth,  on 
one  side  of  which  is  an  adhesive  surface  of  India  rubber 
compound.  Properly  made  it  is  adhesive  at  all  degrees 
of  atmospheric  temperature  and  is  unaffected  by 
moisture,  and  the  kind  treated  with  zinc  oxide  is  also 
[  138] 


TAKING  THE  PLACE  OF  THE  DOCTOR 

non-irritating  to  the  skin.  I  have  found  but  one  kind 
that  will  stick  and  that  is  Johnson's  Z  O  Adhesive 
Plaster.  Primarily  its  use  on  the  skin  is  as  a  protective 
covering,  and  to  secure  and  maintain  the  greatest  ad- 
hesiveness the  skin  must  be  perfectly  dry  and  free  from 
grease  or  dirt.  It  has  a  wide  range  of  utility  and  is  an 
important  adjunct  to  present-day  surgery  and  an 
indispensable  unit  in  the  first-aid  kit.  Compact, 
ready-to-use  gauze  dressings  applied  to  any  wound  are 
nicely  held  in  place  by  adhesive  strips  to  the  adjacent 
skin,  thus  eliminating  the  use  of  the  roller  bandage, 
which  requires  some  training  to  put  on  to  stay.  The 
plaster  should  never  be  applied  directly  to  a  wound; 
first  cover  with  cotton  or  gauze.  By  drawing  the 
cut-wound  edge  together  and  tightly  holding  in  place 
with  adhesive  strips,  the  effect  is  the  same  as  a  skin 
suture.  Sprains  are  splinted  (after  the  swelling  goes 
out)  by  overlapping  strips  of  adhesive  plaster  alter- 
nately over  the  heel  and  around  towards  the  toes  and 
over  the  heel  and  up  the  front  of  the  instep.  This 
dressing  is  ideally  compact.  The  ingenuity  of  the  in- 
dividual will  prompt  many  novel  uses  of  the  plaster 
outside  of  surgery,  such  as  the  repair  of  canvas,  leather 
and  rubber  articles,  sealing  match  tins  and  photo 
film  containers,  repair  of  splintered  gunstocks,  leaks  in 
camera  bellows;  and  by  putting  strips  over  the  glasses 
of  goggles  and  leaving  but  a  narrow  slit  for  vision,  one 
mountaineer  secured  very  good  non-glare  goggles  for 
use  on  the  snow  and  ice. 

Carbolized  Vaseline  is  used  for  burns,  chapped  skin, 
sunburn,  and  slight  wounds. 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

THE  USES  OF  THE  FIRST-AID  KIT 

Wounds. — In  the  care  of  wounds  the  great  essential 
is  absolute  cleanliness.  All  inflammation  is  due  to 
germs,  hence  the  cleansing  of  wounds  and  the  use  of 
surgically  clean  dressings  prevent  the  entrance  of  germs 
into  wounds. 

Bleeding. — Stopped  by  the  tourniquet,  simple  pres- 
sure with  the  cleaned  ringer  over  the  bleeding  place, 
or  better,  by  firm  pressure  with  cloths  dipped  in  hot, 
boiled  water.  Once  cleaned,  do  not  destroy  the  clot 
that  forms.  Never  use  homely  cobwebs  to  stop  bleed- 
ing, as  they  reek  with  the  germs  of  blood  poison. 

Pus  germs  are  fewer  in  the  woods  than  in  the  city. 
To  exclude  them,  we  paint  with  iodine  the  wound  and 
the  surrounding  skin,  or  wash  well  in  hot,  soapy  water 
and  chlorazene  solution  and  apply  the  first-aid ;  if  the 
wound  be  fresh  cut  and  not  inflamed,  the  cut  edges 
may  be  brought  together  and  held  with  adhesive 
plaster  strips  across  the  cut. 

A  poisoned  or  infected  wound  (one  we  say  that  we 
have  "caught  cold"  in)  is  characterized  by  the  skin  being 
red,  shiny,  swollen,  and  tender,  and  there  is  in  all  likeli- 
hood a  pocket  of  pus  beneath  which  must  be  drained 
out.  (Do  not  procrastinate  by  poulticing  and  waiting 
for  the  pus  to  burst  out;  go  in  after  it  at  once.)  So 
we  boil  the  lance,  cleanse  the  skin,  and  cut  open  directly 
to  the  pus.  We  then  cover  the  cut  with  sterilized 
gauze,  which  we  keep  wet  with  chlorazene  solution  so 
the  discharge  is  changed  daily  and  the  wound  kept 
open  so  it  will  heal  from  the  bottom. 

Sprains. — In  a  sprain  the  ligaments  become  bruised 
or  torn,  there  is  a  loss  of  function  and  pain  with  in- 


TAKING  THE  PLACE  OF  THE  DOCTOR 

flammation.  Pour  hot  water  on  the  injured  joint  for 
an  hour  at  a  time,  repeating  every  two  or  three  hours 
for  a  day.  If  no  receptacle  is  at  hand  to  heat  the 
water,  fill  a  hollow  rock,  log,  or  waterproof  cloth 
pocket  with  water,  heat  a  stone  in  the  camp  fire  and 
put  into  the  water.  Bandage  the  joint  and  keep 
applying  hot  water.  Keep  the  limb  elevated.  When 
the  swelling  goes  down,  rub  the  skin  with  oil  or  grease, 
gently  massaging  the  injured  parts.  Don't  over- 
exercise  so  as  to  re-injure  the  torn  ligaments.  Walking 
off  a  sprain  won't  cure  it,  in  fact,  it  only  prolongs 
recovery.  The  adhesive  plaster  splint  is  described 
under  Adhesive  Plaster. 

Fractures  and  Dislocations. — In  a  dislocation,  besides 
the  ligaments  being  torn,  the  bone  is  out  of  place  at  a 
joint,  causing  the  arrested  limb  to  be  shorter  or  longer 
than  its  mate.  Study  how  the  bone  slipped  from  its 
socket,  for  you  must  just  reverse  the  movements  occur- 
ring at  the  time-of  the  accident  in  order  to  reduce  the 
dislocation.  A  fracture  is  a  severe  malady,  because  a 
condition  of  shock  is  usually  present.  The  affected 
limb  is  painful,  the  contour  of  the  limb  is  changed, 
a  grating  (crepitation)  is  felt  and  heard  when  the 
broken  ends  are  rubbed  together.  The  ends  are  often 
by  muscular  action  drawn  out  of  position  so  that  they 
overlap.  Overcome  this  muscle  tension  by  steadily 
pulling  the  two  broken  parts  in  opposite  directions 
until  the  ends  meet  in  proper  relation  to  one  another. 
This  is  imperative.  Hold  them  in  place  by  laying 
saplings  of  barks  or  sticks  entirely  around  the  break, 
interposing  padding  of  soft  material  next  to  theskin, 
and  then  bandage  all  into  place.  If  the  parts  are 
[  Hi  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

swollen,  apply  cold  water.  Healing  requires  weeks  for 
a  good  result. 

Blisters. — When  a  blister  arises,  extreme  care  should 
be  taken  to  keep  from  breaking  the  skin,  thus  leaving 
the  raw,  painful  surface  exposed.  In  treating,  hold  a 
needle  or  common  pin  over  a  flame  to  sterilize  it,  cool 
it,  and  insert  it  well  under  the  skin  at  the  edge  of  a 
blister  sack;  withdraw  it,  and  the  watery  serum  will 
escape.  The  skin  over  the  blister  is  thus  allowed  to 
remain,  flattens,  and  is  the  ideal  protective.  To 
further  strengthen  the  skin,  apply  over  it  a  dab  of 
absorbent  cotton  and  over  this  a  short  strip  of  adhesive 
plaster.  A  one-inch  strip  is  then  torn  from  the  roll,  in 
its  middle,  and  on  the  adhesive  side  is  laid  another  strip 
the  size  of  the  one  over  the  blister.  We  now  have  the 
long  strip  whose  whole  outer  surface  and  middle  third 
on  the  under  side  is  non-adhesive.  When  put  over  the 
blister  there  is  play  between  the  blister  and  strip  and 
the  outer  protective  strip  thus  takes  up  the  friction, 
you  can  walk  with  it,  and  the  injury,  which  might 
have  marred  a  hike  trip,  can  be  disregarded. 

Colds. — Take  a  hot  bath  and  heroic  doses  of  laxative. 
For  the  aches,  pains,  and  fever  take  aspirin  tablets 
(grains  five  to  a  tablet)  one  every  hour  for  four  doses, 
then  one  every  four  hours.  If  the  throat  is  sore, 
gargle  with  salt  water. 

Diarrhoea. — Do  not  block  up  the  bowels  with  opium. 
Stop  all  food,  rest  the  patient  in  bed,  give  a  purge,  and 
after  three  good  bowel  actions  give  the  intestinal  anti- 
septic tablets,  one  each  hour  for  three  doses,  then  one 
every  three  hours  for  a  day. 

Sunstroke. — The  skin  stops  perspiring,  is  hot  and  dry, 
[  14*  ] 


TAKING  THE  PLACE  OF  THE  DOCTOR 

the  face  is  red,  and  the  head  feels  a  great  pressure  of 
too  much  blood.  Get  to  a  cool  place,  lie  down,  loosen 
the  clothing,  and  bathe  the  face,  chest,  and  wrists  in 
cold  water,  and  drink  as  much  water  as  wanted.  In 
Heat  Exhaustion  the  condition  is  opposite — the  face  is 
pale  and  the  skin  sweaty.  You  need  stimulants,  such  as 
aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia  and  then  the  tablet 
stimulant  every  three  hours,  or  hot  tea  or  coffee.  Do 
not  bathe  the  skin. 

Estimating  the  Temperature  Without  a  Thermometer. — 
The  pulse  and  temperature  are  the  important  signs. 
The  pulse  is  felt  by  placing  the  finger  tips  on  the  wrist 
inside  the  bone  on  the  palm  surface.  It  represents  the 
force  and  rate  of  the  heart  beat,  which  is  seventy-two 
per  minute  for  the  adult  male.  The  pulse  is  de- 
creased in  fainting  and  shock  or  loss  of  blood,  for  the 
blood  is  collected  in  the  trunk  of  the  body.  It  is  in- 
creased in  rate  when  the  heart  pumps  faster,  as  in 
active  exercise  and  in  infections  of  wounds,  fevers,  etc. 
If  you  have  no  clinical  thermometer  to  determine 
temperature,  you  may  roughly  estimate  it  as  follows: 
It  is  a  fact  that  each  degree  of  temperature  above  the 
normal  (which  is  ninety-eight  and  a  fraction)  cor- 
responds with  an  increase  of  ten  beats  of  the  pulse  rate 
per  minute  (normal  pulse  rate  is  seventy-two).  Thus, 
if  a  pulse  beats  loz  times  per  minute,  the  patient  has 
approximately  a  fever  of  101. 

The  thermometer,  however,  is  certainly  the  only 
accurate  means  for  readily  determining  body  tempera- 
ture. It  is  small  in  bulk,  light  in  weight,  and  may  be 
had  with  protective  case  that  just  fits  it  for  the  rough 
handling  received  by  an  emergency  kit.  Tycos  brand 

10  [  143  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

instruments  of  this  kind  are  standard.  If  you  get  one, 
take  a  lesson  in  its  use  from  your  druggist  or  family 
physician. 

Mosquito  Dope. — The  insect  repellents  used  as  body 
applications  consist  usually  of  some  essential  oil 
incorporated  in  a  lasting  base  of  oil  or  salve  which 
establishes  a  durable  glaze  over  the  skin,  preventing  too 
rapid  evaporation  of  the  oil  by  the  body  heat.  These 
dopes  do  not  injure  the  skin  a  bit,  and  the  slight  dis- 
comfort they  cause  is  compensated  for  by  the  im- 
munity established. 

FORMULA  No.  i  FORMULA  No.  ^ 

Pine  tar i  %  ounces       Oil  citronella i  ounce 

Castor  oil i      ounce         Spirits  camphor i  ounce 

Oil  pennyroyal. .   }&  ounce        Oil  cedar >£  ounce 

Snake  Bite. — The  life  of  a  patient  bitten  by  a  ven- 
omous snake  depends  upon  what  is  done  during  the 
first  hour.  The  poison  is  either  quickly  eliminated  and 
the  patient  quickly  recovers,  or  it  rapidly  destroys  life. 
Time  is  all  important. 

If  bitten  by  a  snake,  ascertain  if  it  is  of  the  poisonous 
kind.  If  so,  the  reptile  has  a  pit  back  of  the  nostril,  the 
head  is  triangular,  the  jaw  is  heavy,  and  the  pupil  of  the 
eye  is  slit-like  instead  of  round.  The  bite  is  a  sharp 
sting  followed  by  burning  pain.  There  are  generally  two 
small  wounds  surrounded  by  an  area  of  steadily  in- 
creasing redness  and  swelling.  The  action  of  the 
poisonous  venom  is  to  depress  the  vitality,  the  heart 
beats  and  breathing  are  first  increased  and  thens  lowed 
(the  normal  pulse  rate  is  seventy-two  per  minute  and 
the  breathing  is  sixteen  per  minute),  perspiration 

I  144  J 


TAKING  THE  PLACE  OF  THE  DOCTOR 

ensues,  the  mind  becomes  dull  and  the  gait  staggering. 
Our  problem  is  to: 

1 .  Prevent  or  retard  the  entrance  of  the  poison  into 
the  system.    This  is  accomplished  by  putting  a  tourni- 
quet  around   the  limb   between  the  wound  and  the 
heart. 

2.  Remove  or  destroy  the  poison  at  its  seat  of 
entrance.    The  best  treatment,  although  heroic,  is  to 
lance  where  the  fangs  have  entered  by  making  two 
cuts  across  each  other  like  an  X  to  promote  free 
bleeding,  and  then  rubbing  in  a  crushed  tablet  of  potas- 
sium permanganate.    Cover  this  with  the  emergency 
wound  dressing. 

3.  Neutralize  the  poison  which  has  already  entered 
the  circulation.    This  is  impractical  in  first-aid  work, 
as  a  rule,  because  the  antidote,  Antivenine,  is  hard 
to  get  and  is  not  effective  against  rattlesnake  venom, 
which  is  the  commonest  type  met  with.    But  you  can — 

4.  Hasten  the  elimination  of  the  poison  from  the 
system  by  opening  the  bowels  freely  with  laxatives,  by 
drinking  lots  of  water,  and  then — 

5.  Support  the  vitality  of  the  patient.    Alcohol  has 
no  place  in  the  treatment  of  snakebite,  for  it  does  more 
harm  than  good,  because  it  is  a  stimulant  first  and  a 
depressant  later.   Our  sheet  anchor  in  stimulation  is  the 
Tablet  Stimulant  given  one  every  three  hours.     The 
patient  should  lie  down  and  the  body  be  kept  covered 
and  warm. 

Drowning. — In  rescuing  a  drowning  person  we  assume 

that  he  is  not  dead.    If  he  has  been  submerged  not  over 

two  minutes  he  stands  a  good  chance  for  life,  and  cases 

have  been  revived  after  they  had  been  submerged  for 

[  145  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

five  minutes.    Every  second  counts,  and  hours  of  per- 
sistent effort  are  often  required.     In  rescue  work : 

1.  Loosen  the  clothing  to  allow  easy  breathing. 

2.  Pass  the  ringer  into  the  mouth  to  remove  any 
foreign  bodies,  such  as  tobacco,  chewing  gum,  or  false 
teeth. 

3.  Lay  the  body  on  the  ground,  face  down. 

4.  Empty  the  lungs  of  water  by  grasping  the  body 
with  your  arm  under  the  stomach  and  raising  it  so 
that  only  the  feet  and  head  touch  the  ground.    Repeat 
several  times. 

5.  With  the  victim  lying  on  his  stomach,  face  down, 
with  the  head  turned  to  one  side  and  resting  on  the 
cheek,    extend   his   arms   straight   above   the   head. 
(An  assistant  may  now  draw  out  the  tongue,  holding 
it  between  the  fingers.) 

6.  Kneel  astride  the  victim  facing  his  head  and 
spread  out  your  hands  with  palms  over  the  lower  part 
of  the  chest  and  loins,  one  on  each  side.  Now  with  the 
arms  straight,  allow  your  body  to  fall  forward,  so  that 
your  weight  presses  the  palms  of  your  hands  firmly 
against  the  body  of  the  victim,  which  here  is  the  most 
elastic  part  of  the  chest  and  region  of  the  diaphragm, 
and  causes  the  air  to  be  expelled  from  the  lungs. 

7.  Now  spring  back,  releasing  the  pressure  of  the  ribs 
and  lungs,  causing  the  air  to  be  inspired  into  the  lungs. 

8.  Repeat  these  movements,  imitating  actual  breath- 
ing every  four  seconds,  allowing  two  seconds  for  re- 
laxation and  expansion  of  the  chest.    When  revived, 
remove  the  wet  clothing,  rub  the  skin,  stroking  toward 
the  heart,  wrap  him  in  warm  blankets,  and  give  stim- 
ulants. 

[  146] 


TAKING  THE  PLACE  OF  THE  DOCTOR 

Transportation  of  the  Wounded. — In  order  to  carry  a 
wounded  comrade  to  a  place  where  deliberate  and  more 
careful  attention  may  be  given,  it  is  frequently  neces- 
sary to  improvise  methods  of  transportation.  The 
chief  aim  is  to  move  him  with  as  much  gentleness  and 
care  as  is  possible,  so  that  no  further  injury  will  be 
caused.  An  unconscious  or  injured  man  may  be 
carried  by  one  of  several  methods : 

1.  He    may    be    thrown    transversely    across    the 
shoulders.     The  patient   is  turned   face  downward; 
you  lean  over  astride  his  body,  facing  his  head ;  grasp 
him  under  his  arm  pits,  bring  him  up  on  his  knees, 
grasp  about  the  abdomen  and  lift  him  to  his  feet. 
Grasp  his  right  hand  in  your  left,  draw  his  arm  over 
your  head  and  onto  your  left  shoulder;  grasp  his  right 
hip  with  your  right  arm  between  his  legs,  hold  his 
right  wrist  in  your  left  hand,  and  rise. 

2.  He  may  be  carried  on  an  emergency  litter  made 
from  buttoned  coats  or  shirts,  with  the  sleeves  turned 
wrong  side  out  and  inside  the  closed  garment,  so  that 
the  collars  of  the  closed  garments  are  together.    Two 
poles  or  oars  are  then  slipped  through  the  sleeves  and 
the  litter  is  ready.    Holes  cut  in  the  corners  of  two 
gunny  sacks  will  do  as  well  as  coats. 

3.  The  travois  of  the  American  Indian  consists  of  a 
litter  supported  between  two  poles  sixteen  feet  long  of 
young  trees  and  harnessed  one  on  either  side  of  a 
riding  saddle  like  the  shafts  of  a  wagon.   The  patient's 
head  should  be  towards  the  front. 


I  i47l 


CHAPTER  XV 

Uses  of  Adhesive  Plaster  in  Camp 

FOLLOWING  the  serpentine  irregularities  of  timber  line 
on  the  continental  divide  in  Glacier  Park,  the  Mountain- 
eer Club  blazed  the  Skyline  Trail.  Featuring  mountain- 
eering in  its  sterner  aspects,  the  route  does  not  bid  for 
much  popularity  with  average  tourists,  but  two  hundred 
miles  of  it  were  safely  negotiated  by  the  intrepid 
climbers.  Memorable  of  all  days  was  the  eighteen- 
mile  jaunt  from  Red  Eagle  camp  up  through  the 
narrow  "chimney"  or  cleft  in  the  sheer,  rocky  wall  of 
the  divide,  then  down  over  miles  of  shale  and  erosion 
d£bris,  and  farther  on  over  the  boulder  field  moraine 
fronting  Blackfeet  Glacier.  At  noon  we  came  upon  a 
tearful  maiden  who  had  sprained  her  ankle  and  was 
sorrowful  lest  the  injury  would  not  allow  her  to  com- 
plete the  trip  afoot  with  her  comrades,  and  still  more 
perturbed  because  she  was  a  good  travel  from  the 
railroad  and  no  saddle  horse  available. 

Any  accidental  injury  to  the  feet  in  a  walking  trip  is 
obviously  serious,  for  the  perfect  functional  condition 
of  these  members  and  their  protection  by  proper  socks 
and  shoes  form  the  criterion  of  one's  walking  ability. 
To  set  at  ease  the  mental  perturbations  of  our  cam- 
panion  of  the  trail,  we  resorted  to  the  use  of  adhesive 
plaster  to  repair  the  ankle.  One  is  surprised  to  learn 
that  a  roll  of  this  indispensable  item  reposes  in  every 
individual  outfit,  and  that  without  it  the  seasoned 
[  148] 


FIRST  AID  ON  THE  TRAIL 


USES  OF  ADHESIVE  PLASTER  IN  CAMP 

traveler  will  not  safely  venture  trailward  with  its 
dangers  of  contusions,  blisters,  and  sprains. 

By  cleverly  utilizing  narrow  strips  of  adhesive 
plaster,  the  injured  ankle  was  splinted  and  the  girl 
resumed  her  journey  and  completed  it  like  the  rest. 
The  modus  operandi  in  this  case  was  to  overlap  one- 
half-inch  strips  of  the  plaster  alternately  (a)  over  the 
heel  and  around  towards  the  toes,  and  (b)  over  the 
heel  and  up  the  sides  and  over  the  instep  with  the  ball 
of  the  foot  pressed  back,  exaggerating  the  flexion  for- 
ward of  the  foot  at  the  ankle.  A  space  one-half  inch 
wide  on  the  front  of  the  foot  was  left  uncovered  to  allow 
for  inevitable  swelling.  This  dressing  is  ideally  compact, 
allowing  the  use  of  ordinary  hose  and  shoe  covering, 
holding  the  injured  tissues  in  position,  and  limiting  the 
motion,  which  is  the  function  of  a  real  splint. 

By  reason  of  the  work  done  by  the  hiker,  blistering 
of  the  feet  must  be  expected  by  a  novice.  This  can  be 
prevented  or  cured,  as  the  case  may  be,  by  the  use  of 
surgeon's  adhesive  plaster,  and  of  this  indispensable 
item,  each  should  carry  a  roll,  size  one  inch  by  five  yards, 
and  specified  as  the  zinc  oxide  plaster  with  its  whitish 
adhesive  surface. 

Simply  slapping  on  a  piece  of  tape  over  an  infantile 
or  senile  blister  may  be  enough,  but  if  one  uses  the 
following  method  popular  among  mountaineers,  he 
will  get  results  for  certain.  Directly  over  the  blister 
and  just  covering  it,  is  laid  a  dab  of  absorbent  cotton, 
and  over  this  is  flattened  a  short  strip  of  adhesive. 
A  three-inch  strip  is  then  torn  from  the  roll.  In  its 
middle  and  on  the  adhesive  side  is  laid  another  strip, 
the  size  of  the  one  over  the  blister.  We  now  have  the 
I  149  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

long  strip  whose  outer  surface  and  middle  third  on  the 
under  side  is  non-adhesive.  When  put  over  the  blister, 
there  is  play  between  the  blister  strip  and  outer  pro- 
tecting strip — thus  taking  up  the  friction.  You  walk 
with  it,  and  the  injury,  which  might  have  marred  the 
pleasure  of  the  entire  trip,  can  now  be  disregarded  as 
no  more  than  a  minor  catastrophe. 

One  ingenious  mountaineer,  when  caught  on  a  glacier 
in  midday  without  his  amber  goggles  to  protect  his  eyes 
from  the  intense  ice-glare,  placed  strips  of  adhesive 
over  his  ordinary  spectacles,  leaving  a  narrow  slit  for 
vision,  and  thus  produced  very  acceptable  anti-snow 
glare  vision  protectors  after  the  style  of  the  Far  North 
natives,  who  use  eye  coverings  which  entirely  shut  out 
the  light  except  for  the  narrow  slit  through  which 
they  see. 

Surgeon's  adhesive  plaster  consists  of  a  closely 
woven  muslin  or  grilling  cloth  over  one  surface  of 
which  has  been  spread  an  adhesive  mixture  of  India 
rubber  compound.  It  is  made  less  irritating  to  the 
skin  by  the  addition  of  zinc  oxide  at  the  factory.  It  is 
flexible,  easily  manipulated,  is  quickly  adhesive,  and 
will  not  slip.  It  is  procurable  at  any  drug  store  and  you 
should  insist  upon  getting  zinc  oxide  adhesive  plaster. 
Some  kinds  will  not  stick  where  you  want  it  to. 

To  secure  and  maintain  the  greatest  degree  of  ad- 
hesiveness, the  surface  upon  which  it  is  to  be  applied 
must  be  perfectly  dry,  for  if  the  least  wet  it  will  not 
adhere.  The  surface  must  be  entirely  free  from  dirt 
and  grease  also.  Hairy  skin  should  be  shaved  before 
applying  the  plaster.  Adhesiveness  is  best  obtained 
[  150] 


USES  OF  ADHESIVE  PLASTER  IN  CAMP 

when  the  plaster  surface  is  slightly  warmed  to  soften 
the  adhesive  material. 

In  removing,  a  quick  jerk  will  most  easily  effect  results 
with  only  minimum  discomfort  to  the  patient.  Liquids 
which  render  removal  rapid  are  either  alcohol,  gasoline, 
or  benzine  poured  between  the  loosened  edge  of  the 
plaster  and  the  skin.  Never  wet  the  cloth  side  or  back 
of  the  plaster,  as  the  cloth  may  then  separate  and  leave 
the  mass  upon  the  skin. 

Adhesive  plaster  plays  a  most  important  part  in  the 
technique  of  modern  surgery,  in  which  its  utility  is 
recognized  and  practically  universally  employed. 
Among  the  chief  uses  of  the  plaster  is  in  connection  with 
first-aid  work,  where  it  is  considered  as  an  indispensable 
item.  It  acts  as  a  covering,  a  dressing,  a  protective,  a 
support,  a  bandage,  a  compress,  and  a  suture,  or  in 
place  of  a  stitch  to  hold  wound  edges  together.  Plain 
zinc  oxide  adhesive  plaster  is  not  to  be  confused  with 
the  medicated  kind,  such  as  belladonna  plaster;  for  the 
plain  kind  does  not  carry  active  medicaments  to  the 
surface  to  which  it  is  applied. 

For  the  treatment  of  little  cuts  on  the  skin,  hang- 
nails, abrasions,  and  to  prevent  friction  over  corns  and 
bunions,  adhesive  plaster  replaces  flexible  collodion  or 
new  skin,  which  is  liquid  and  not  easily  handled. 

In  treating  injuries  of  the  skin,  adhesive  plaster  is  a 
decided  improvement  over  gauze  bandages  as  a  means 
of  holding  dressings  in  place.  Take  for  example  a 
small  puncture  wound  which  has  been  treated  with 
soap  and  water  and  then  painted  with  iodine;  a  small 
gauze  compress  is  placed  over  the  wound  and  retained 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

with  strips  of  adhesive  plaster  so  placed  as  to  extend 
sufficiently  well  beyond  the  sterile  field  to  prevent 
slipping  and  exposing  the  wound  surface  to  open  in- 
fection. This  is  much  more  satisfactory  than  roller 
bandages,  which  require  some  training  to  "stay  put". 
Never  cover  an  open  wound  directly  with  adhesive 
plaster,  but  interpose  first  a  wad  of  sterilized  cotton  or 
gauze.  Thus  on  an  axe  wound  of  the  foot,  a  long  strip 
of  gauze  covers  the  line  of  the  wound,  and  cross  strips  of 
adhesive  plaster  are  drawn  over  it  taut  so  as  to  pull  the 
cut  edges  together  and  hold  them  in  place,  thus  taking 
the  place  of  a  skin  suture  or  stitch. 

If  a  dressing  is  to  be  made  over  an  unequal  surface, 
as  an  ankle  or  elbow,  it  is  a  general  rule  that  the  nar- 
rower it  is  practicable  to  make  the  strips,  the  neater  and 
closer  fitting  will  be  the  dressing.  Little  slits  crosswise 
in  a  strip  which  is  to  be  placed  over  a  rounded  surface, 
such  as  the  end  of  a  finger,  will  allow  overlapping  of  the 
slit  corners,  and  the  result  is  a  complete  covering  and 
neatness  in  dressing.  It  can  be  readily  formed  to  make 
a  complete  ringer  stall  or  cot. 

Adhesive  plaster  is  indispensable  in  dressing  fractures 
and  dislocations  to  hold  splints  in  place  or  to  form  a 
splint  dressing  itself  by  limiting  motion  of  the  affected 
parts.  Details  can  be  worked  out  more  completely  in 
connection  with  a  thorough  knowledge  of  first  aid  as 
applied  to  the  various  kinds  of  bone  and  joint  injuries. 

A  very  effective  treatment  of  a  boil  is  to  touch  the 
tender  center  with  pure  carbolic  acid  on  a  match  end, 
and  then  cover  the  whole  inflamed  area  with  a  disc 
of  adhesive  plaster  slit  to  the  center  so  as  to  overlap. 

The  cutting  edge  of  the  lance  in  my  first-aid  kit  is 

[  15*1 


USES  OF  ADHESIVE  PLASTER  IN  CAMP 

protected  from  dulling  by  being  wrapped  in  an  adhesive 
plaster  strip  until  needed  for  use.  Lacking  a  sheath  for 
camp  knife  or  axe,  which  is  to  be  carried  in  a  pack, 
need  not  worry  us,  for  we  simply  cover  the  edges  with 
our  plaster,  and  the  edge  as  well  as  pack  contents  are 
protected. 

The  ingenuity  of  the  individual  will  prompt  novel 
utility  of  the  adhesive  besides  its  uses  in  first-aid  work. 
It  has  a  multitude  of  uses  in  the  camp,  household,  and 
workshop.  Adhering  as  it  does  to  tin,  metal,  wood,  glass, 
and  rubber — in  fact  to  any  dry  surface,  it  can  be  em- 
ployed to  get  a  better  grip  on  handles,  such  as  axes, 
hammers,  golf  sticks,  ball  bats,  tennis  racquets,  or 
auto  steering  wheels.  Used  to  bind  tight  the  lids  on 
cans,  such  as  matches  or  baking  powder,  it  protects  the 
contents  from  climatic  changes,  light,  and  moisture. 
We  use  it  to  seal  down  the  corks  or  glass  stoppers  of 
bottles,  and  to  strengthen  cracks  in  window  panes,  on 
glass  dials  of  watches  or  compass  crystals. 

Adhesive  plaster  is  a  cheap,  strong  binder  that  will 
conform  itself  to  the  shape  of  any  substance.  Thus 
we  mend  with  it  splintered  gunstocks,  broken  tool 
handles,  broom  handles,  chair  legs,  whips,  canes, 
umbrella  handles,  jars,  and  bottles.  Even  lead  and  iron 
waterpipes  can  be  temporarily  repaired  by  its  use. 
Employed  to  bind  a  wood  split  or  to  hold  a  loosening 
ferrule  of  a  fishing  rod,  it  prevents  the  loss  of  a  day's 
sport.  Further,  bowlers,  fishermen,  golfers  secure  pro- 
tection to  the  fingers  and  hands  by  putting  adhesive 
plaster  strips  over  the  parts  most  likely  to  be  blistered, 
sore,  and  chapped.  Being  a  non-conductor  and  water- 
proof, it  is  useful  in  making  and  repairing  electrical 
I  153  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

apparatus  and  in  insulating  wires  for  troublesome 
short  circuits  about  the  automobile. 

About  the  automobile,  adhesive  plaster  can  be  of 
service  to  loose  tires,  for  the  emergency  repair  of  small 
blowouts,  for  patching  inner  tubes,  for  fixing  leaky 
radiators,  to  "stop"  rattling  windshields,  to  repair 
broken  celluloid  windows,  and  with  it  even  a  temporary 
fan  belt  may  be  made. 

The  cloth  bucket  carried  in  my  pack  on  a  hike  trip 
was  once  accidentally  cut  by  too  close  proximity  to  an 
unprotected  axe  blade,  and  a  repair  was  quickly  and 
effectively  made  by  putting  a  strip  of  adhesive  plaster 
on  the  inside  and  finely  stitching  the  edges  with  thread. 
Also,  the  balloon  silk  tent  was  torn  on  a  sharp  sapling 
and  the  repair  effected  by  sewing  adhesive  plaster  on 
the  outside  to  shed  the  water.  Torn  clothing  can  be 
likewise  repaired. 

Many  other  uses  will  suggest  themselves,  such  as  the 
repair  of  canvas,  leather  and  rubber  articles,  for 
sealing  photo-film  containers,  and  to  cover  a  light  leak 
in  the  camera  bellows. 

The  uses  of  adhesive  plaster  in  camp  are  apparently 
limited  only  by  the  ingenious  resourcefulness  which 
marks  the  expert  woodcraftsman.  Properly  utilized,  it 
will  come  to  form  an  integral  part  of  any  camp  outfit 
one  may  devise,  for  many  times  it  will  supply  an 
absolute  need,  and  finally  come  to  be  a  necessary  unit 
to  the  "boiled  down"  equipment  which  experience  has 
taught  you  to  be  that  irreducible  minimum  which  is 
consistent  with  comfort  and  safety. 

Fishing  Rod  Splices. — H.  J.  Blacklidge  describes  a 
clever  method  of  first  aid  to  broken  fishing  rods.  He 

[  154] 


USES  OF  ADHESIVE  PLASTER  IN  CAMP 

describes  the  break  as  being  across  the  long  axis  of  the 
pole.  He  takes  each  broken  end  and  whittles  it  down 
to  a  long  bevel,  smoothing  the  irregularities  until  the 
two  long  bevels  fit  perfectly  when  placed  together. 
Then  they  are  covered  with  a  thin  layer  of  shoe- 
maker's wax  and  pressed  tightly  together. 

Next  they  are  wrapped  with  well-waxed  silk.  Let  the 
end  lie  along  the  rod  and  wrap  over  it  a  dozen  turns  in 
beginning.  Wrap  carefully  until  you  have  gone 
beyond  the  beveled  part.  Then,  to  tie  an  invisible 
knot,  make  four  or  five  loose  loops  and  pass  the  end 
under  the  last  lap  of  the  winding.  Now,  as  you  go  on 
winding,  the  loose  loops  you  have  just  made  will 
unwind.  When  they  are  all  unwound  pull  the  end 
through  and  cut  it  off  close  up  and — go  fishing.  It  is 
well  also  to  have  a  bottle  of  shellac  along  with  you  and 
give  the  splice  a  coat  of  it.  The  above  method  has  been 
tried  by  the  writer  who,  lacking  shellac,  found  that 
adhesive  plaster  greatly  strengthened  the  splice  and 
that  even  the  threads  were  not  needed.  This  is  not 
so  water-resisting  as  it  would  be  if  shellacked. 

Repairing  Bicycle  Tire  Punctures. — Adhesive  plaster 
has  found  its  way  into  the  esteem  of  bicycle  users, 
because  it  can  be  effectively  wrapped  around  the 
tube  over  a  puncture.  This  plaster  prevents  the  egress 
of  air  from  within  the  tube,  and  the  tough,  durable 
cloth  upon  which  the  plaster  is  spread  allows  a  sur- 
prising amount  of  wear.  Wrapping  entirely  around  the 
tire  and  rim  between  the  spokes  prevents  the  creeping 
of  the  tube  when  the  wheel  revolves,  endangering  the 
value. 

Pleurisy. — Without  medical  skill  you  can  relieve 
I  155] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

the  knife-like,  cutting  pain  experienced  on  breathing 
by  a  patient  with  pleurisy.  It  generally  appears  on 
one  side  only,  so  we  limit  the  motion  of  breathing 
on  that  side  in  order  to  render  less  frequent  the  ex- 
cursions of  the  lung  covering  over  the  chest  surface. 
We  use  six  or  eight  wide  strips  of  adhesive  plaster 
whose  length  is  from  the  spine  around  to  the  mid- 
line  in  front.  Instructing  the  patient  to  empty  his 
lungs  of  air,  we  apply  one  end  of  the  first  strip  to  the 
spine  below  the  level  of  the  ribs  and  pull  tightly  around 
to  the  front  and  press  down  snugly.  After  a  breathing 
spell,  repeat  with  the  next  strip  above  the  first  one,  but 
overlapping  it  a  half-inch.  Of  course,  this  is  usually  the 
doctor's  job  but,  in  emergency,  when  you  are  far  from 
such  help,  you  can  employ  the  procedure  yourself  with- 
out fear  of  aggravating  the  trouble  and  with  immense 
relief  to  your  patient. 

Emergency  Candlestick. — Sharpen  a  stick  and  drive 
it  in  the  ground;  to  its  upper  end  bind  a  candle  with  a 
loop  of  adhesive  plaster  and  you  have  a  holder  which 
you  can  move  any  place  and  which  has  a  free  top 
which  you  can  easily  drive  into  the  ground  without 
interfering  with  the  candle  itself. 

Waterproof  Match  Box. — The  catastrophe  of  being 
forced  to  make  a  bivouac  camp  and  the  realization 
that  all  of  one's  matches  are  wet  is  something  that 
will,  as  a  rule,  happen  only  once  to  every  man.  He  will 
as  soon  as  possible  get  a  waterproof  match  container. 

Glass  bottles  are  taboo  in  outfits;  special  hard 
rubber  or  metal  match  safes  with  screw-down  caps  are 
satisfactory.  But — why  not  make  one  yourself?  A 
ten-gauge  brass  shell  will  just  chamber  a  twelve-gauge, 


USES  OF  ADHESIVE  PLASTER  IN  CAMP 

and  the  connection  can  be  covered  with  adhesive 
plaster  to  prevent  absolutely  the  entrance  of  water. 
One  sportsman  uses  the  box  that  the  Gillette  safety 
razor  blades  come  in,  and  seals  the  lid  water-tight  with 
his  adhesive  plaster  roll.  In  a  party  outfit  there  should 
be  a  large  canister  of  matches  for  replenishment  of 
personal  needs.  This  is  made  damp-proof  by  simply 
running  adhesive  plaster  around  the  juncture  of  the 
top  and  can. 

Thumb  Stall. — A  unique  device,  appealing  to  all 
fishermen  who  do  surf  casting  or  heavy  sea  fishing,  is 
the  leather  thumb  stall  with  an  adjustable  harness  over 
the  wrist  to  hold  it  in  place  and  keep  it  from  working 
loose  and  running  into  the  reel.  Quite  the  same  effect 
may  be  obtained  by  wrapping  the  thumb  with  over- 
lapping layers  of  adhesive  plaster,  which  sticks  so  well 
as  to  do  away  with  the  need  of  harness.  It  prevents 
blisters,  cuts,  and  burns  from  a  fast-running  fishing  line, 
and,  fitting  so  snugly,  presents  no  danger  of  catching 
in  the  gear  of  the  reel. 

Fountain  Pen  Break. — One  winter  morning  a  certain 
school  teacher  found  his  fountain  pen  frozen  up  and  a 
linear  crack  along  the  barrel  leaking  the  ink.  Wrapping 
the  barrel  firmly  with  adhesive  plaster  strips  closed  the 
opening  and  the  same  pen  is  in  service  with  its  wrapping 
unspoiled. 

Unscrewing  a  Can  Cap. — The  canoe  glue,  taken  in  an 
emergency  repair  kit  on  a  prolonged  canoe  and  portage 
trip  one  summer,  was  marketed  in  a  tin  container  with 
a  screw-on  cap  whose  threads  became  coated  with  glue, 
and  contact  with  the  air  had  so  hardened  and  sealed  the 
connection  as  to  make  it  non-movable  by  the  usual 
[157] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

finger-grip  method.  Adhesive  was  put  around  the  cap, 
and  where  the  prolonged  ends  met,  the  strip  was 
clinched  with  pliers  and  the  cloth  held  sufficiently  tight 
to  allow  considerable  twisting  and  the  removal  of  the  lid. 

Camera  Tripod  Break. — I  once  went  into  the  moun- 
tains with  a  professional  photographer  hired  by  a 
railroad  company  interested  in  exploiting  the  scenic 
advantages  of  the  region.  With  his  heavy  8xio 
camera  he  used  a  cumbersome  tripod.  One  day  in 
loading  the  horses  preparatory  to  departure,  the  pack 
horse  clumsily  stepped  on  the  tripod.  With  fear  and 
trepidation,  the  photographer  picked  up  the  broken 
pieces,  which  could  be  replaced  only  in  a  shop  miles 
away.  The  broken  shafts  were  most  cleverly  spliced 
so  as  to  stand  hard  usage  by  wrapping  pieces  of  thin 
tin,  garnered  from  the  metal  case  of  a  first-aid  outfit, 
over  the  breaks  and  tightly  covering  with  adhesive 
rollers. 

Reel  Seat  and  Rod  Handle. — One  sportsman  I  know 
of  has  a  failure  of  buying  every  item  in  equipment  that 
comes  to  his  notice  without  due  regard  to  utility  and 
without  trying  things  out  until  he  gets  into  camp. 
A  new  fishing  outfit  was  ordered  and  awaited  him  at 
the  rendezvous  for  his  annual  fishing  trip.  He  was 
dismayed  to  find  so  much  play  between  the  reel  seat 
and  the  rod  handle,  on  account  of  a  loose-fitting  reel 
band,  that  its  use  was  out  of  the  question.  A  few 
simple  turns  of  the  indispensable  adhesive  plaster  held 
all  movable  parts  tight,  and  he  went  on  his  way 
rejoicing. 

Canoe  Leak. — No  canoe  cruiser  should  start  out  on  a 
trip  without  a  few  indispensable  requisites  such  as  glue, 
[  158] 


USES  OF  ADHESIVE  PLASTER  IN  CAMP 

canvas,  white  lead,  calor,  varnish,  and  copper  tacks. 
Should  a  submerged  tree  trunk  jab  a  hole  in  the  bottom 
of  your  Peterborough,  there  is  needed  a  cover  for  it 
and  a  waterproofing  compound  over  all  to  make  the 
repair  lasting.  Caught  in  the  Northern  Lake  wilder- 
ness in  such  a  predicament  without  the  standard 
repair  kit  at  hand,  one  man  mended  his  canoe  by  drying 
in  the  sunshine  perfectly  the  surface  around  the  hole. 
This  he  covered  well  with  wide  adhesive  plaster  strips, 
overlapping  both  inside  and  outside  the  canoe  shell. 
This  he  covered  with  pitch  secured  from  the  nearby 
forest,  and  the  repair  was  waterproof  and  lasting. 
Similarly,  a  cracked  blade  of  a  canoe  paddle  may  be 
treated;  or  if  a  handle  be  broken,  whittle  down  the 
broken  ends  to  rather  long  bevels  which  exactly  fit 
one  another  and  cover  snugly  with  overlapping  ad- 
hesive strips. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

Pests  of  the  Wilderness 

THE  outdoor  man  studies  pretty  carefully  any 
method  or  utensil  which  will  make  his  life  in  the  wild 
place  comfortable.  Nothing  so  styles  one  a  tender- 
foot as  the  statement  that  he  is  going  out  to  "rough" 
it,  when,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  old  timer  cleverly 
utilizes  every  ruse  of  woodcraft  to  "smooth"  it,  and  he 
succeeds,  too.  Hunger,  thirst,  accident,  and  insect 
pests  are  all  probable  factors  in  marring  a  trip,  but  they 
can  be  successfully  met  by  the  one  who  knows  how, 
and  they  may  then  be  considered  as  catastrophes  of 
but  minor  importance. 

Any  measure  which  may  be  employed  to  diminish 
the  annoyance,  discomfort,  and  danger  of  the  various 
forms  of  insect  life  which  may  be  met  with  in  the 
wilderness  will  prove  a  welcome  addition  to  the  lore 
of  the  camper. 

The  bite  of  the  mosquito  is  an  active  poison  to  most 
people  and  causes  an  active  area  of  distressing  inflam- 
mation, but  this  passes  away  with  no  more  than  tem- 
porary annoyance.  Certain  forms  of  mosquitoes  and 
other  insects  have  been  found  to  be  active  conveyers 
of  deadly  diseases.  Malaria,  as  is  well  known,  is  spread 
by  a  certain  mosquito,  and  to  his  discredit  is  also  laid 
the  conveyance  of  the  deadly  yellow  fever  and  ele- 
phantiasis. Fleas  spread  the  bubonic  plague;  another 
member  of  the  insect  family  spreads  the  sleeping  sick- 
[  160] 


PESTS  OF  THE  WILDERNESS 

ness;  and  still  another  conveys  dangerous  eye  diseases 
and  typhoid  fever. 

Since  sportsmen's  fields  are  getting  farther  and 
farther  away  from  the  centers  of  civilization,  the 
geographical  distribution  of  these  harmful  insects  is  of 
particular  interest  to  outdoor  men.  In  a  general  way 
they  are  worse  the  farther  south  or  north  we  go.  Their 
disturbing  prevalence  in  tropical  regions,  where  the 
sportsman,  miner,  or  engineer  may  be  called  upon  to 
live  a  camp  life,  is  well  known.  Not  so  many  varieties 
are  found  in  the  colder  regions,  yet  certain  ones  are 
found  to  thrive  there  in  surprising  numbers ;  cold  seem- 
ing to  make  no  difference  in  their  successful  propaga- 
tion. At  the  time  of  the  great  rush  to  the  Klondike 
gold  fields,  the  Government  placed  before  the  public  a 
bulletin  enumerating  the  hardships  as  well  as  the 
possible  rewards  of  Alaska  adventures,  and  the  multi- 
tudes and  voraciousness  of  the  mosquito  were  cited  as 
the  chief  factor  in  many  a  man's  failure  to  reach  his 
coveted  goal. 

Some  subarctic  travelers  consider  the  mosquito  and 
sand  flea  the  worst  hardship  to  which  they  are  exposed. 
The  open  plains  are  the  kingdom  of  the  scourge,  which 
assemble  in  countless  numbers  at  the  bait  of  men  and 
animals,  and  whose  thirst  for  blood,  querulous  sing- 
song, and  poisoned  sting  have  actually  driven  strong 
men  of  otherwise  undaunted  spirit  to  cry  for  mercy 
and  to  become  savage  and  desperate  in  helpless  anger. 
Horses  have  been  worried  to  their  death,  and  many 
notable  instances  are  recorded  where  bears  have  been 
blinded  and  driven  to  mire  themselves  in  mud  wallows 
for  protection  and  have  been  starved  to  death. 
[161  J 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

Insects  come  out  of  the  pupae  at  the  first  sprouting  of 
vegetation  in  May,  and  they  stay  until  the  September 
frosts.  In  Alaska  all  animals  leave  for  the  snow  line 
when  the  mosquito  pest  appears,  but  the  wary  blood- 
suckers follow  even  to  the  bleak  mountain  tops  above 
timber  line.  In  a  recent  bulletin  from  the  Government 
Printing  Office  there  appears  the  following:  "In  general, 
the  food  of  mosquitoes  consists  of  vegetable  juices; 
unfortunately,  the  female  of  the  species  has  developed 
a  taste  for  blood,  and  indeed  a  feed  of  blood  has  become 
indispensable  to  some  of  these  for  the  full  development 
of  their  eggs.  Remembering  how  all-compelling  the 
generative  instinct  is,  we  can  now  understand  why 
the  'Stegomyia  calopas',  for  example,  will,  when  dis- 
turbed, return  again  and  again  in  an  endeavor  to 
obtain  her  fill  of  this  life-giving  fluid." 

In  regions  marked  by  unusual  prevalence  of  insect 
pests,  the  sportsman  has  no  business  until  the  season  is 
favorable.  In  addition  to  the  above  extremes  cited, 
we  are  obliged  to  consider  the  mosquito  pest  when  we 
are  on  pleasure  bent,  even  in  territory  which  is  climat- 
ically more  kindly. 

In  our  more  temperate  zone,  the  mosquito  is  very  apt 
to  be  encountered.  The  North  Woods  traveler  may 
also  have  disagreeable  dealings  with  deer  flies  and  black 
flies,  buffalo  and  turkey  gnats,  while  as  we  journey 
southward  we  meet  the  villainous  screw-worm  fly  and 
the  revolting  blowfly,  which  lays  its  eggs  in  wounds  or 
in  the  nostrils  of  sleeping  men.  Tropical  tourists  may 
also  expect,  in  addition  to  the  mosquito,  the  gusanero 
and  birui  of  the  Amazon,  and  the  motica  of  Brazil, 
which  is  much  like  our  black  fly. 
[  161] 


PESTS  OF  THE  WILDERNESS 

The  plague  of  insects  is  noticed  in  retreat  before  the 
plow,  and  of  course  the  sportsman's  work  takes  him  into 
the  remoter  regions.  They  are  distinctly  a  factor  to  be 
reckoned  with  for  a  period  of  about  six  summer  weeks 
in  the  open  country  of  Michigan,  Manitoba,  Ontario, 
and  the  Canadian  Northwest,  while  in  the  forested 
portions  of  these  states  they  persist  for  two  months, 
and  in  the  subarctic  regions  for  two  and  a  half  months. 

Individual  physical  make-up  differs  widely  in  the 
susceptibility  to  the  poisons  of  insects.  Some  persons 
are  entirely  immune  and  need  take  no  precautions 
whatever  for  prevention.  Others  are  poisoned  violently 
by  a  single  bite,  and  many  are  so  constituted  as  to 
prefer  to  forego  the  pleasure  of  an  outdoor  trip  entirely 
rather  than  subject  themselves  to  the  rigorous  dis- 
cipline of  dopes,  headnets,  and  other  preventive 
measures. 

In  general,  it  may  be  said  that  it  is  well-nigh  im- 
possible to  get  used  to  insect  annoyance,  but  certain 
measures  of  prevention  may  be  used  which  will  greatly 
impede  them,  and  one  can  get  used  to  these  measures. 
Every  outdoor  man  has  his  pet  methods  of  prevention, 
hence  we  may  expect  widely  divergent  views  expressed. 
About  the  best  advice  to  offer  is  that  you  try  the 
different  methods  advocated  and  learn  by  experience 
which  is  most  suitable. 

The  simplest  method  for  discouraging  mosquito  on- 
slaughts is  the  mosquito  headnet.  This  consists  simply 
of  a  loose-fitting  sack,  attached  by  a  draw  string  over 
the  hat  crown,  and  draping  down  over  the  head  to  the 
shoulders,  where  it  is  secured  by  tapes  fastened  about 
the  chest.  If  made  of  bobbinet,  it  is  transparent  to  some 
I  163  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

extent,  but  the  scenery  partakes  of  an  uncanny  pris- 
matic coloring.  This  material  is  not  very  durable,  is 
expensive,  and  will  not  adequately  protect  against 
smaller  insects.  By  far  the  best  material  is  common 
white,  or  preferably  black,  cheesecloth.  The  portion  in 
front  of  the  eyes  may  be  filled  with  small  windows  of 
transparent  celluloid  or  an  unexposed  photographic 
film  which  has  been  cleared  of  the  emulsion  in  a  hypo 
bath. 

With  the  headnet  are  usually  worn  cotton  gauntlets 
for  hand  and  wrist  protection.  The  objectionable  fea- 
ture of  the  headnet  is  that  it  is  always  in  the  way  and 
presents  an  attractive  lure  seemingly  for  being  plucked 
to  pieces  by  all  the  brush  you  pass.  While  it  keeps 
millions  of  the  pests  out,  yet  the  one  or  two  stowaways 
which  may  remain  within  can  give  you  all  kinds  of 
distress.  The  headnet  allows  you  neither  to  spit, 
smoke,  eat,  nor  drink;  yet  this  form  of  prevention  is 
really  the  best  to  use  where  there  is  much  open-country 
traveling. 

In  his  African  Came  Trails,  Roosevelt  states  that 
"it  was  generally  necessary  to  wear  headnets  and 
gloves  in  the  evenings,  and  to  go  to  bed  at  once  after 
dinner  and  then  to  lie  under  the  mosquito  bar  with 
practically  nothing  on  through  the  long,  hot  night, 
sleeping  or  contentedly  listening  to  the  humming  of  the 
baffled  myriads  outside  the  tent". 

One  should  sleep  well  on  an  outdoor  trip,  and  to 
guarantee  a  good  night's  rest,  as  far  as  insects  are  con- 
cerned, the  pests  may  be  made  to  leave  in  a  hurry  if  a 
smudge  is  burned  in  the  tent  or  if  gunpowder  is  ex- 
[  164] 


PESTS  OF  THE  WILDERNESS 

ploded  therein.  Common  insect  powder  is  also  of 
service.  Although  nine  out  of  ten  persons  sleep  in 
open  tents,  they  would  do  well  to  have  the  tent  home- 
made, mosquito-proof.  Stewart  Edward  White  recom- 
mends an  inside  tent  of  cheesecloth  to  be  suspended 
within.  It  is  an  exact  replica  of  the  outer  tent,  but  is 
more  voluminous  and  with  bottom  margins  long  enough 
to  snugly  fit  the  ground  and  close  possible  gaps  which 
might  permit  the  entrance  of  the  despised  ones.  The 
dweller  enters  his  domicile  by  lifting  the  loose  meshes 
of  the  inner  tent.  In  the  daytime  it  may  be  hung  up 
out  of  the  way.  This  is  a  very  practical  solution  of 
the  mosquito  pest  problem  at  night. 

Smoke  is  generally  a  specific  against  insect  pests. 
The  Indians  make  a  tiny  blaze  of  birch  bark  and  pine 
twigs  deep  in  a  nest  of  caribou  leaves  and  grass.  In 
making  a  smudge,  be  sure  to  start  the  fire  well  before 
you  put  on  the  green  stuff. 

The  following  procedure  will  also  be  found  useful  in 
repelling  the  pests  of  the  wilderness  and  is  a  some- 
what new  application  of  an  old  remedy.  Take  an 
ounce  of  common  Epsom  salts  and  dissolve  it  in  a  cup 
of  water,  wet  a  bath  cloth  so  that  it  will  not  drip,  and 
rub  the  body  well  all  over,  and  do  not  wipe  afterward, 
but  dress,  and  flies,  gnats,  fleas,  bedbugs,  mosquitoes, 
etc.,  will  never  touch  you.  If  one  is  exposed  more 
than  usual,  being  near  water  or  in  a  forest,  then  make  a 
somewhat  stronger  solution,  wet  a  cloth  and  rub  the 
face,  neck,  ears,  and  hands  well ;  do  not  wipe,  but  allow 
it  to  dry.  It  will  leave  a  fine  powder  over  the  surface 
that  the  most  bloodthirsty  insect  will  not  attack. 
[  165] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

Besides,  the  solution  is  healing  and  cleansing.  It  will 
heal  the  bites,  subdue  the  consequent  inflammation, 
and  cure  many  diseases  of  the  skin. 

Temporary  protection  from  the  onslaughts  of  noxious 
insects  may  be  secured  by  the  use  of  one  of  the  various 
dopes  which  are  to  be  smeared  on  the  skin.  Essen- 
tially they  depend  upon  the  action  of  some  one  of  the 
essential  oils,  which  are  obnoxious  and  repellent  to  the 
pests.  Unfortunately,  they  may  prove  also  a  dis- 
comfort to  the  individual's  use,  but  he  is  likely  to  prefer 
ill-smelling  drugs  to  poisonous  insect  stings — the  lesser 
of  two  evils.  As  a  sort  of  first  aid,  by  utilizing  materials 
at  first  hand  furnished  by  Nature,  may  be  mentioned 
crushed  dock  or  caribou  leaves  rubbed  on  the  skin. 

The  oils  which  are  effective,  named  in  the  order  of 
their  general  preference,  are:  Oils  of  pennyroyal, 
citronella,  lavender,  cloves,  eucalyptol,  camphor, 
phenol,  and  creosote.  They  may  be  used  entirely  alone, 
but  on  account  of  their  volatile  nature  they  are  evap- 
orated too  fast  by  the  body  heat,  so  they  are  best  in- 
corporated in  some  oily  base  which  holds  them  in 
action  on  the  skin  for  a  greater  length  of  time  and  thus 
precludes  the  necessity  of  very  frequent  application. 
The  thinner  oils  require  more  frequent  application  and 
are,  withal,  pleasanter  to  use. 

These  mosquito  dopes  may  then  be  either  (a)  liquid, 
such  as  sweet  oil,  parraffin  oil,  glycerin,  castor  oil,  or  oil 
of  tar,  or  (b)  an  ointment  or  salve,  such  as  vaseline, 
simple  cerate,  or  lanolin.  The  ointments  produce  the  de- 
sirable lasting  glaze.  Pure  pine  tar  is  the  best  repellent, 
combining,  as  it  does,  thickness,  a  volatile  substance 
repugnant  to  mosquitoes,  a  healing  power,  and  pro- 
[  166] 


PESTS  OF  THE  WILDERNESS 

during  a  lasting  glaze.  This  glaze  browns  the  skin  like 
an  Indian's,  and  with  Stewart  Edward  White  you  will 
agree  that  "at  first  tar  smell  will  bother  you,  but  in  a 
short  time  you  will  like  it,  and  it  will  call  up  in  your 
memory  the  reaches  of  trout  streams." 

Nessmuk's  mosquito  dope  formula  is  best  known  and 
quite  satisfactory.  Of  it  he  says  in  his  admirable 
classic  on  Woodcraft:  "More  than  forty  years'  ex- 
perience in  the  woods  has  taught  me  that  the  follow- 
ing receipt  is  infallible  anywhere  that  'sancudos, 
moquims,'  or  our  own  poisonous  insects  do  most 
abound.  It  has  been  pretty  widely  quoted  and  adopted, 
and  I  have  never  known  it  to  fail :  Three  ounces  pine 
tar,  two  ounces  castor  oil,  one  ounce  pennyroyal  oil. 
Simmer  all  together  over  a  slow  fire  and  bottle  for  use. 
You  will  hardly  need  more  than  a  two-ounce  vial 
in  a  season.  One  ounce  lasted  me  six  weeks  in  the 
woods.  Rub  it  in  thoroughly  and  liberally  at  first,  and, 
after  you  have  established  a  good  glaze,  a  little  re- 
plenishing from  day  to  day  will  be  sufficient;  and  don't 
fool  with  soap  and  towels  where  insects  are  a-plenty. 
A  good  safe  coat  of  this  varnish  grows  better  the  longer 
it  is  kept  on — and  it  is  cleanly  and  wholesome." 

Ernest  Thompson  Seton  has  another  good  formula, 
as  follows:  Oil  pennyroyal,  one  part;  oil  tar,  one  part; 
spirits  camphor,  one  part ;  sweet  oil,  three  parts. 

Dr.  Edward  Breck  offers  another  good  combination 
composed  of  tar,  three  ounces ;  castor  or  olive  oil,  two 
ounces;  heat  together,  then  add  and  simmer:  oil 
pennyroyal,  one  ounce;  creosote,  one  ounce;  oil  cit- 
ronella,  one  ounce;  carbonated  vaseline,  large  tube. 
For  ladies'  use,  omit  the  tar. 
[  167] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

A  very  simple  combination  is  two  parts  tar  and  one 
part  vaseline.  A  single  application  is  enough;  it 
becomes  tacky,  and  in  ten  minutes  hardens  so  that 
nothing  can  rub  it  off. 

To  properly  mix  these  dopes,  they  should  be  slowly 
simmered  over  a  slow  fire.  The  skin  is  not  injured  by 
these  combinations  even  if  frequently  applied,  nor  are 
they  uncomfortable  to  use.  Even  so,  any  objection- 
able feature  is  compensated  for  by  the  immunity 
established  against  the  assaults  of  the  pests. 


[  168] 


CHAPTER  XVII 

The  Indispensable  Parka 

A  NEW  clothing  idea,  gleaned  from  Arctic  experience 
and  one  which  bids  fair  to  be  widely  adopted  by  the  out- 
door fraternity,  is  the  hooded  shirt  called  the  Parka. 
When  'Chinaman  John  wore  his  shirt  in  the  customary 
loose-waist  fashion  and  appeared  before  his  employer 
one  cold  morning  saying  "belly  cold,"  and  was  admon- 
ished that  if  he  would  wear  his  shirt  inside  his  pants  his 
"belly  wouldn't  get  cold",  he  simply  suggested  some- 
thing to  an  individual  which  upset  conventional  ideas 
of  dress.  The  parka  is  worn  outside  and  for  very  good 
reasons — it  won't  let  the  wearer  get  cold. 

The  average  sportsman  emphasizes  his  choice  of  food 
more  than  that  of  clothing  and  bedding,  yet  a  wilder- 
ness trip  necessitates  a  proper  selection  of  all,  if  he  is 
to  be  ready  for  any  exigency  that  may  arise.  Several 
sorts  of  weather  are  in  the  category  of  the  camper,  and 
protection  against  all,  with  as  little  weight  and 
bulk  of  clothes  as  possible,  is  the  problem  solved  by 
adopting  the  parka.  One  may  be  in  active  exercise  in 
dry,  still,  45-degrees-below-zerocold;  again,  he  may  be 
physically  inactive  in  a  zo-degree-below-zero  gale  on 
open  water;  or  again,  caught  in  a  day-long  rain,  wet 
snow,  and  sudden  weather  changes  when  travel  is 
absolutely  necessary,  and  each  demands  ample  pro- 
tection, which  the  parka  furnishes  if  it  is  made  of 
proper  materials  to  suit  the  purpose. 
I  169] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

Did  it  ever  occur  to  you  that  the  clothing  you  wear 
does  not  per  se  produce  warmth  ?  Neither  heavy  wool 
nor  any  weight  of  cotton  produces  heat — it  is  the 
human  body  that  manufactures  heat;  clothes  merely 
act  as  heat  retainers — they  are  employed  to  prevent 
rapid  emanation  of  heat  and  to  insulate  the  body 
temperature  against  outside  changes,  which  would 
influence  heat  dissemination. 

The  secret  of  body  warmth,  then,  is  to  secure  non- 
conducting fabrics  whose  index  of  absorption  is  lowest 
and  these  are  always  of  animal  origin — fur  is  the  best, 
woolens  next,  silk  is  good,  and  cotton  lowest.  Fur 
holds  a  great  amount  of  confined  air,  as  does  also 
loosely  woven  wool.  In  fur  we  get  the  desirable  dead 
air  spaces ;  in  several  layers  of  thin  wool  fabric  we  get 
the  same;  but  cotton  rapidly  draws  out  the  heat  and 
moisture  from  beneath  and  emanates  it  to  the  outside. 

The  production  of  body  heat  is  ample  when  a  man  is 
in  active  exercise;  our  problem  is  to  conserve  it,  and  it 
is  best  done  thus — next  the  skin  wear  loose  wool,  and 
to  prevent  the  wind  and  low  temperatures  striking  this, 
wear  a  wind-proof  parka  of  cotton  drill  or  pongee  silk. 
If  you  wish  an  ideal  rain-proof  garment,  make  the  parka 
of  balloon  silk — white,  tan,  or  green.  It  won't  protect 
your  pack,  but  the  pack  sack  should  be  waterproof  also. 

Interesting  experiments  with  the  parka  under  guise 
of  its  various  aliases  in  different  portions  of  the  land 
of  the  Great  White  Silences  are  related.  Dr.  Frank 
Russell,  in  his  Explorations  in  the  Far  North,  de- 
scribes a  rain  frock  seen  at  Cape  Tchaplin  called  the 
Massinka  Rain  Coat.  It  is  a  frock  of  seal  intestine, 
ornamented  with  narrow  strips  of  the  fur  seal  on  the 
[  170] 


THE  INDISPENSABLE  PARKA 

shoulders  and  hood,  and  with  the  hair  of  the  young  seal 
sewed  upon  the  outside  of  the  seams  elsewhere.  The 
hood  is  small  and  close  fitting.  The  strips  of  intestine 
are  four  inches  wide  and  six  feet  long — the  garment 
being  three  feet  across  at  the  waist.  There  are  eight 
breadths  in  front,  making  it  thirty-two  inches  long. 
It  is  very  light  and  flexible  and  perfectly  waterproof. 

The  Kooletah  or  fur  jacket  with  no  buttons,  going 
on  over  the  head,  is  a  description  given  by  Robert  E. 
Peary.  In  summer  it  is  made  of  sealskin  and  in  winter 
of  fox  or  deer  skin.  His  own  was  made  of  Michigan 
sheepskin.  Attached  to  this  jacket  is  a  hood,  and  around 
the  face  is  a  thick  roll  of  fox  tails.  Ponting,  of  Captain 
Scott's  Antarctic  Expedition,  says  that  for  the  Ant- 
arctic wool  is  better  than  fur  and  should  be  covered 
with  a  thin  windbreak.  The  parka  is  here  again  sug- 
gested as  the  ideal  body  covering. 

All  properly  made  clothing  for  extremely  cold  coun- 
tries should  be  very  large  and  adjusted  so  that  it  can 
be  readily  removed,  is  the  observation  of  Lieut.  Waugh. 
The  fur  parka  is  a  garment  made  like  a  large  hooded 
shirt  coming  down  to  the  knees,  the  edge  of  the  hood 
having  a  ruff  of  wolverine,  wolf,  or  bear  skin  to  protect 
the  face  (wolverine  being  the  best,  as  it  is  the  only  fur 
upon  which  the  breath  will  not  congeal),  and  it  is  the 
most  practical  garment  yet  devised  for  Arctic  work. 
This  parka  is  made  of  reindeer  summer  skin  (the  winter 
skin  sheds  too  badly)  or  squirrel  skin.  It  is  worn  with 
the  fur  outside,  and  is  lined  with  fur  or  some  material 
which  will  allow  it  to  slip  off  and  on  easily. 

The  drill  parka  which  is  used  to  break  the  wind  is 
made  on  the  same  model,  only  larger,  as  it  is  at  times 
[  171  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

worn  as  the  outermost  garment  of  all.  These  fur  parkas 
are  seldom  used  by  those  who  are  experienced.  When 
working  on  the  trail,  they  are  held  in  reserve  until  camp 
is  reached  or  until  the  trail  is  good  and  riding  is  possible ; 
when  pushing  on  handle  bars  or  running  behind  the 
sled,  the  parka  would  be  too  hot  and  would  cause 
perspiration  to  start — the  cause  of  inevitable  chilling, 
for  nearly  every  death  in  the  Arctic  is  from  getting  too 
warm  or  wet,  and  not  from  excessive  cold. 

Anthony  Fiala  uses  a  parka  of  pongee  silk  which 
successfully  keeps  out  flying  drift  and  wind.  During 
halts  he  takes  off  his  parka  and  puts  on  another 
heavier  fur  shirt  and  then  the  parka  over  all.  There 
should  be  no  opening  in  front,  as  cold  air  goes  in  between 
the  flaps.  It  is  best  to  use  a  llama  sweater  and  over  it 
a  light  closely  woven  pongee  silk  parka  like  the  hide  of 
fur  to  keep  the  heat  in  and  the  cold  out.  Parker,  on  his 
Mount  McKinley  climb,  wore  such  an  one  and  found 
it  quite  satisfactory. 

Any  seamstress  who  can  make  an  ordinary  work- 
shirt  can  make  an  Adicky  (parka),  if  your  outfitter 
cannot  supply  you.  Dillon  Wallace  asserts:  "The  gar- 
ment is  slipped  on  over  the  cap  as  a  neck  and  head 
protection.  The  neck  opening  is  large  enough  to  per- 
mit the  head  to  pass  through  it  without  the  necessity 
of  a  buttoned  opening  in  front,  for  no  matter  how 
closely  buttoned  a  garment  may  be,  drifting  snow  will 
find  its  way  in.  In  length,  the  Adicky  reaches  halfway 
between  the  hips  and  knees,  and  is  made  circular  at  the 
bottom.  The  hood  should  be  of  ample  proportions, 
pulled  over  the  cap  loosely,  with  a  draw  string  encir- 
cling the  front  by  which  it  may  be  drawn  snugly  to  the 
[  17*1 


THE  INDISPENSABLE  PARKA 

face,  a  fringe  of  muskrat  fur  acting  against  the  drifting 
snow.  While  Hudson's  Bay  kersey  cloth  is  a  favorite 
fabric  for  this  garment,  it  may  be  made  of  any  woolen 
duffle  or  similar  cloth. 

Over  the  kersey  Adicky,  another  Adicky  of  some 
smooth-faced,  strong  material  (preferably  moleskin) 
should  be  worn.  This  outside  Adicky  should  be,  of 
course,  just  enough  larger  than  the  kersey  or  blanket 
Adicky  to  fit  over  it  loosely.  The  Adickys  may  be 
worn  singly  or  together,  according  to  the  demands  of  the 
weather.  In  far  Greenland,  the  natives  wear  an  Adicky 
of  caribou  skin,  hair  side  out,  called  the  "Kulutah" — 
in  Labrador,  the  "Kulutuk". 

So  good  a  mountaineer  as  Miss  Dora  Keen  recom- 
mends that  the  drill  parka  become  a  necessary  ad- 
dition to  the  equipment  of  every  serious  alpinist. 
"On  knapsack  trips  and  woods  cruising,  as  well  as  in 
general  mountaineering,  I  have  used  the  parka  and  it 
'stays  in'  as  an  integral  part  of  my  high  efficiency 
pack  kit,  and  I  am  thus  ready  for  any  weather  emer- 
gency which  the  Red  Gods  may  pit  me  against.  The 
weight  of  twenty-five  ounces  is  of  slight  consequence, 
and  when  worn  it  allows  freedom  of  movement  and  am- 
ple body  protection  equaling  many  pounds  of  blankets." 

The  unconventional  parka  costume  savors  of  gener- 
ations of  trail  mushers  in  the  region  of  the  Great  White 
Silences.  It  was  born  of  necessity,  just  as  the  old  river- 
men  and  lumberjacks  "stagged"  their  pants  and  shirts, 
just  as  the  Alaska  miners  used  sour  dough  instead  of 
baking  powder,  just  as  Nessmuk  made  his  famous  dope 
for  the  "no  see  urns",  and  the  Indians  fashioned  their 
teepee  tents  so  they  could  use  fires  within. 

I  173  J 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

Game  Hunting  With  a  Camera 

THE  camera  represents,  in  a  certain  useful  sphere,  the 
conservation  of  wild  creatures  for  the  sake  of  pleasure, 
science,  and  art.  Game  hunting  with  a  camera  is  every 
bit  as  novel  as  hunting  with  a  gun;  there  are  no 
closed  seasons;  and  one  gets  the  excitement  and 
must  display  skill  in  stalking.  To  make  good  pictures 
of  wild  things,  certain  conditions  are  essential.  You 
should  have  a  good  light,  preferably  from  behind  the 
machine;  the  wind  should  be  blowing  toward  you,  as 
in  gun  hunting.  In  fact,  most  of  the  conditions  should 
be  similar,  but  even  more  favorable  for  photographing 
than  for  shooting,  because  not  only  must  proper  sights 
be  made,  but  one  must  get  the  right  exposure  to  "stop" 
the  bird  or  other  creature. 

In  the  way  of  equipment  a  film  camera  is  recom- 
mended on  account  of  portability  and  general  range  of 
utility.  One  should  have  a  ray  filter  which  controls  the 
color  values  that  must  be  contended  with  where  they 
exist  in  such  contrast  as  in  nature;  a  tripod  helps  to 
overcome  the  greatest  cause  of  failure — underexposure; 
and  lastly,  an  anastigmatic  lens  admits  sixty  per  cent 
more  light  than  does  the  rapid  rectilinear. 

In  woodland  views  when  the  sun  is  low  one  can  get  an 

atmospheric  softness  of  the  middle  and  far  distances  by 

focusing  on  the  foreground.    By  using  the  smallest  stop 

the  light  will  allow,  one  can  get  greater  detail,  which  is 

[  174] 


GAME  HUNTING  WITH  A  CAMERA 

a  great  help  in  enlarging  later.  Take  most  views  when 
the  sun  is  at  your  back,  for  if  it  shines  directly  into 
your  lens  the  light  goes  through  the  emulsion  and  is 
reflected  back  to  the  emulsion,  producing  a  blur  called 
"halation".  You  will  notice  this  where  the  light 
shines  through  the  tops  of  trees  or  when  the  light  comes 
through  the  windows  in  interiors. 

Aside  from  the  outfit  and  technique  of  photography, 
to  properly  portray  wild  life  in  native  habitat,  one 
needs  a  knowledge  of  field  craft  concerning  the  habit 
of  wild  animal  life  and  the  ability  to  keep  oneself  under 
cover  so  as  not  to  arouse  suspicion.  The  accustomed 
alertness  of  the  kindred  of  the  wilds  promotes  an  in- 
tense curiosity  toward  things  foreign,  hence  to  prevent 
fright,  extra  precaution  is  due.  One  should  make  no 
sudden  movements. 

The  wildest  animals  are  governed  by  two  pre- 
dominant forces  in  their  natural  make-up — love  and 
hunger — and  these  things  are  taken  advantage  of  in 
wilderness  photography.  For  instance,  a  study  of  the 
food  habits  of  birds  in  winter  time  will  result  in  the 
placing  of  the  camera  at  a  given  position  with  the 
almost  certain  arrival  of  the  subject. 

Deer  will  invariably  dart  away  before  one  can  get 
within  twenty  yards  of  them  as  they  are  very  keen, 
relying  more  on  the  sense  of  smell  and  hearing  than  of 
sight.  One  had  best  begin  his  nature-study  photography 
with  the  common  birds  of  the  neighborhood.  They  are 
usually  abundant,  easily  found,  and  they  offer  the 
greatest  facilities  for  this  kind  of  work.  Take  the  wood 
thrush  for  example.  Her  strong  plumage  markings 
show  up  well  in  a  print,  and  her  nest  is  generally  located 
[  175  1 


at  a  convenient  distance  from  the  ground.  Focusing 
should  be  done  while  the  bird  is  away.  Cut  away  as  few 
branches  as  possible,  and  in  adjusting  the  camera  to 
trees,  use  the  ball  and  socket  kodapod  instead  of  a 
tripod.  If  you  have  a  long  focus  lens,  use  it,  although 
a  single  combination  lens  will  produce  a  photo  of  good 
definition.  The  common  fault  is  underexposure.  By 
using  the  smallest  stop,  the  surroundings  are  brought 
into  focus.  If  the  bird  is  wild,  use  a  long  rubber  tube 
to  operate  the  shutter  lever  or  attach  a  string  to  the 
same. 

Hunting  with  a  jack-light  is  illegal,  because  the 
animal  has  a  poor  chance  for  a  safe  getaway,  as  the 
light — first  noticed  out  of  curiosity — blinds  them. 
Advantage  is  taken  of  this  in  flash-light  photography. 
Rig  up  a  fourteen-foot  boat  with  a  frame  on  its  prow, 
and  on  this  place  two  cameras  focused  at  thirty  and 
forty  feet  respectively.  Above  them  place  a  jack-light 
fitted  with  a  strong  reflector  to  get  into  position,  have 
a  flash  gun  and  powder  ready,  and  when  exposure  is  to 
be  made,  open  systematically  the  shutters,  set  off  the 
flash,  and  then  close  the  lens. 

The  flash  light  can  be  further  utilized  in  recording 
delightful  camp-fire  memories.  Set  the  camera  on  a 
stump  or  tripod  focused  on  the  crowd  lounging  about 
the  camp  fire.  Point  the  lens  toward  the  fire  also. 
Fasten  the  sheet  of  flash  paper  to  a  long  stick  and, 
standing  between  the  camera  and  the  fire  to  prevent 
fogging  of  the  film,  open  the  shutter  to  the  widest 
aperture  and  drop  the  flash  into  the  fire. 

The  most  worth-while  place  to  photograph  wild  life 
is  in  Yellowstone  Park,  and  a  trip  into  this  great  wild- 
[  176] 


GAME  HUNTING  WITH  A  CAMERA 

animal  refuge  is  certain  to  reward  one  with  many  price- 
less pictures.  As  one  leaves  the  train  at  the  Park 
entrance  and  traverses  the  "skillet"  route,  the  wonders 
of  the  Yellowstone  unfold  until  near  the  end  of  the  trip 
the  grand  climax  is  reached  in  the  famous  Lower  Falls 
and  the  Grand  Canyon. 

Two  of  us  on  a  hike  trip  in  this  last  sanctuary  of  our 
fast-vanishing  wild  life  had  many  interesting  observa- 
tions. We  journeyed  from  the  west  entrance  through 
the  narrow  forest  aisles  of  Christmas  Tree  Park,  alert 
for  the  first  sign  of  the  unusual.  Warm  vapors  arose 
in  the  cool  morning  air  from  the  surface  of  the  Madison 
River,  which  was  joined  just  a  short  way  above  by  the 
Firehole  River,  whose  waters  come  from  the  Hot 
Springs. 

Presently  we  espied  a  deer  on  the  opposite  shore 
standing  knee-deep  in  the  lush  grasses  of  the  water's 
edge,  and  the  graceful  contour  of  the  body  and  sym- 
metry of  antlers  called  forth  admiration.  Here  was 
animal  life  in  natural  habitat  far  from  the  cities'  noise 
and  strife.  Here  was  the  scene  so  often  witnessed  by 
the  pioneers  of  days  far  gone.  Presently,  with  one 
startled  glance,  he  gracefully  poised  antlers  and 
quietly  bounded  to  the  forest  cover,  where  he  disap- 
peared. 

Uncle  Sam  allows  no  guns  to  be  used  in  his  public 
domain,  but  the  camera  enthusiast  enjoys  unlimited 
freedom.  If  one  really  wishes  to  study  animals,  he 
should  leave  the  gun  at  home  and  take  a  camera,  for  by 
close  watching  one  can  get  an  intimate  knowledge  of 
the  habits  and  home  life  of  the  denizens  of  the  wilds. 

So  as  not  to  disturb  such  animals  as  might  come 
[  i77l 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

across  our  paths,  my  companion  and  I  kept  our  dis- 
tances from  the  many  tourist  conveyances  carrying 
sight-seers.  We  were  after  photos.  Many  times  we 
followed  deer  or  bear  a  short  way  into  the  forest  or 
meadows  to  gain  better  advantage.  I  like  the  bears. 
Rough,  shaggy,  and  clownish  fellows  that  they  are, 
they  afforded  unending  amusement  and  novelty, 
especially  to  a  prairie  dweller  who  was  quite  foreign  to 
their  habits.  They  were  mostly  browns  and  blacks, 
but  at  the  lake  and  Grand  Canyon  there  were  many 
grizzlies.  The  latter  were  comparatively  tame,  con- 
sidering their  reputation  for  viciousness,  and  they  were 
not  hard  to  photograph.  One  must  not  lose  sight  of  the 
fact  that  they  are  yet  wild  animals,  hence  should  not  be 
molested. 

Most  of  the  bears  had  their  rendezvous  near  Mount 
Washburn,  and  distinct  trails  could  be  followed  to  their 
ranges.  Following  one  of  these,  I  beheld  in  a  clearing 
ahead  an  old  mother  and  her  two  cubs.  Her  movements 
were  cautious.  She  would  sit  upright,  scent  the  air, 
turn  her  head  from  side  to  side  and  look  in  every 
direction.  Quite  comically  the  cubs  would  often  go 
through  the  same  movements  in  imitation. 

At  one  point  I  placed  my  camera  focused  on  the  trail, 
attached  a  fish  line  to  the  shutter  lever,  and  then  went 
behind  a  tree.  Along  came  a  bear,  looked  at  me  to  see 
if  I  were  animal,  vegetable,  or  mineral,  and  then  made 
for  the  machine.  My  only  thought  was  of  the  soon- 
to-be-demolished  camera,  but  instead  of  attacking  it 
he  simply  sniffed  at  it  and  went  his  way.  On  his  re- 
treat I  caught  his  photograph,  as  he  stopped  a  moment 
and  peered  in  my  direction. 

[  178] 


GAME  HUNTING  WITH  A  CAMERA 

Old  Bruin's  furry  coat  is  beautiful,  sleek  as  a  seal, 
and  the  head  and  neck  covering  is  silvery.  Ungainly 
in  his  leisurely  way  of  walking,  he  yet  covers  much 
ground,  and  his  run  is  a  kind  of  falling  lope.  A 
grizzly  loves  a  dark  canyon  near  good  feed  and  a  stream 
where  he  can  wallow  in  the  mud  for  fly  protection.  He 
satisfies  his  appetite  with  berries,  roots,  and  fish.  He 
is  full  of  curiosity,  in  temper  defensive,  and  will  not 
fight  unless  he  feels  himself  cornered. 

There  have  been  no  fatalities  from  the  attacks  of 
vicious  or  hungry  bears  in  the  Park.  Following  their 
evening  custom,  the  members  of  a  certain  tourist  party 
sat  about  their  camp  fire  and  told  yams.  The  cook  had 
prepared  the  lunches  for  the  morrow  and  placed  them 
for  safekeeping  in  a  tub  in  the  wagon.  When  at  bed- 
time the  cookie  looked  into  the  wagon,  he  found  signs 
of  a  bear  visit  and  of  the  lunch  there  was  left  but  a  few 
scraps  of  paper.  This  rude  act  on  the  part  of  Bruin 
caused  a  frightened  minister  to  sit  up  all  night  armed 
with  sundry  weapons  from  the  cook's  tableware  and 
harboring  a  strong  distaste  for  bear  meat. 

The  deer  are  frequently  seen  quietly  eating  or  resting 
in  the  shade  near  the  roads.  They  are  stately  creatures, 
and  their  body  movements  in  running  are  the  very  em- 
bodiment of  grace  itself.  There  are  about  twenty-five 
thousand  elk  in  the  Park,  so  many,  in  fact,  that  the 
problem  of  feeding  them  in  winter  is  a  hard  task,  and 
a  systematic  organization  supplies  what  feed  can  be 
secured  from  ranches  in  the  regions  beyond  the  Park. 
The  Government  is  yearly  moving  portions  of  this  vast 
elk  herd  to  other  parks.  Elk  are  timid,  gregarious, 
and  travel  in  big  herds.  They  keep  some  distance  from 
[  i79l 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

the  roads,  as  they  prefer  seclusion.  The  best  place 
to  find  them  is  in  Hayden  Valley  near  Mount  Wash- 
burn,  or  around  Shoshone  Lake.  A  ride  up  Alum 
Creek  from  the  Grand  Canyon  or  Yellowstone  Lake 
to  the  base  of  Mary's  Mountain  will  surely  reward  one 
with  some  excellent  photos. 

The  buffalo,  about  two  thousand  in  number,  are  in 
Lamar  Valley,  where  they  are  well  cared  for  in  the 
best  possible  place  for  breeding.  From  time  to  time 
the  herd  has  been  increased  by  outside  purchase. 

In  the  meadows  of  Hayden  and  Pelican  Valleys  and 
in  the  Gardiner  alfalfa  fields  are  many  antelope.  Moun- 
tain sheep  may  be  seen  in  the  more  secluded  places, 
but  in  the  late  spring  they  and  the  antelope  disappear 
for  the  summer  to  the  unknown  districts.  Of  the 
deer,  there  are  about  one  hundred  white  tails  and  one 
thousand  black  tails  making  their  headquarters  near 
Mount  Evarts.  Moose  keep  to  the  northeast  corner  of 
the  park  and  in  the  Gallatin  Basin.  The  smaller 
animals,  such  as  squirrels,  marmots,  rabbits,  badgers, 
and  foxes,  are  numerous.  Near  Obsidian  Cliff  are 
beaver  dams  and  houses.  Many  colonies  are  near 
Tower  Falls,  and  here  you  can  see  them  in  the  morning 
and  evening  working  in  the  water  or  cutting  down  trees 
for  food. 

Uncle  Sam  has  endeavored  to  rid  the  Park  of  un- 
desirable tenants,  so  the  taboo  has  been  out  against 
mountain  lions  and  coyotes,  the  latter  being  par- 
ticularly destructive  to  antelope,  and  no  opportunity  is 
lost  by  the  officials  to  poison,  trap,  or  shoot  them. 
That  the  birds  may  not  be  molested,  no  cats  or  dogs 
are  allowed  in  the  Park  confines. 
[  180] 


GAME  HUNTING  WITH  A  CAMERA 

The  birds  are  numerous,  but  have  so  large  an  area  in 
which  they  are  protected  that  one  rarely  sees  them. 
Also,  the  average  tourist  is  "all  eyes"  for  the  geysers, 
hot  springs,  and  natural  wonders.  One  whole  island  in 
Lake  Yellowstone  is  used  as  a  nursery  for  the  gulls  and 
pelicans.  Eagles  are  to  be  seen  at  close  range,  and  by 
the  aid  of  binoculars  their  nests  and  young,  located 
on  some  high  crag,  may  be  studied. 

The  gamiest  fishing  is  at  the  lake  outlet  and  twenty- 
five  is  the  limit.  You  are  sure  to  catch  some  and 
photograph  them,  to  back  up  your  stories  when  you 
return  home.  It  is  a  queer  sensation  to  draw  gamy, 
healthy  fish  from  the  warm  waters  of  some  of  the 
streams;  in  some  places,  however,  the  fish  are  unfit  for 
eating  owing  to  disease,  and  these  must  be  found  and 
thrown  away. 

The  animals  of  the  Park,  unafraid  of  man  as  they  are, 
have  shown  themselves  approachable  to  the  "witchery 
of  Kodakery,"  if  the  tourist  uses  common  sense  and 
does  not  press  them  too  hard.  Many  schemes  are  used 
by  the  cameraist  to  photograph  wild  life  in  natural 
habitat  and  activities.  Some  have  wire  or  bait  so 
arranged  that  the  animal  himself  sets  off  the  shutter 
and  flash.  True,  most  wild  animals  are  nocturnal  in 
their  habits,  but  plenty  of  good  shots  can  be  secured 
during  daylight,  if  one  but  diligently  watches  a  chance 
and  has  the  apparatus  ready.  The  best  position  is  lee- 
ward to  a  trail. 

A  word  as  to  the  tenchnique  of  photography  in  this 
region.     In  average  light  and  backgrounds  we  found 
that  with  a  stop  at  one-sixteenth,  time  at  one-twenty- 
fifth,  and  a  universal  focus  of  one  hundred  feet,  we  were 
I  181  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

ready  for  quick  work  when  the  animal  suddenly  -came 
into  view,  far  or  near.  The  tameness  of  many  animals 
will  allow  one  to  "jockey"  into  position  and  so  to  place 
himself  in  more  advantageous  relation  to  his  subject. 
An  ideal  size  photo  is  2^x3  >£  inches,  which  makes  a  fair 
contact  print  and  good  enlargements,  if  good  detail  is 
present. 

Overexposure  is  the  common  fault  on  the  whitish 
formations)  and,  considering  the  purity  of  the  at- 
mosphere, a  quick  exposure  must  be  made,  otherwise 
a  flat  negative  will  result.  Underexposure — the  com- 
mon fault  in  landscapes — results  in  harsh  high  lights 
and  shadows.  Too  small  a  stop  should  seldom  be  used, 
as  it  gives  such  fine  detail  that  the  effect  of  the  picture, 
as  a  whole,  is  in  a  great  degree  lost. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

Photographic  Developing  in  Camp 

CAMERAS  are  now  made  so  small  and  light  that  they 
are  no  encumbrance  even  on  the  hardest  kind  of  a  trip. 
Photographs  of  the  wild  animals,  water  sports,  cosy 
camps,  with  perhaps  an  occasional  print  revealing  the 
strenuous,  the  poetic,  or  the  tragic  life  of  the  open, 
enable  one  on  the  long  winter  nights  to  live  over  the 
summer's  trip  in  pleasant  reminiscence.  Somehow,  the 
narratives  and  anecdotes  one  brings  out  of  the  woods 
lack  that  local  color  and  freshness  which  pictures 
reveal. 

Provide  for  a  large  number  of  exposures.  Films  are 
best  because  of  their  portability  and  daylight  loading 
properties.  They  should  be  kept  with  great  care  from 
dampness  and  preferably  packed  in  sealed  tins,  as  pre- 
pared for  tropical  use  and  procurable  upon  special 
order.  Remember  that,  as  soon  as  they  are  exposed, 
films  are  subject  to  ruination,  and  should  for  this  rea- 
son be  developed  as  soon  as  possible.  It  does  no  good 
to  seal  them  up  again  in  the  can  after  exposure,  for 
one  simply  seals  in  dampness  perhaps  long  enough 
to  ruin  them. 

Except  on  back-pack  trips,  I  have  always  taken 
along  a  developing  outfit  and  an  inelaborate  one,  too. 
All  the  items  one  needs  are  tubes  or  tablets  of  developer 
and  hypo,  both  of  these  being  packed  in  bottles  and 
thus  kept  pure  and  dry,  retaining  their  activity  under 
[  183  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

the  most  trying  conditions  of  climate  or  storage.  The 
dark  room  can  be  improvised  in  cellars,  closets,  and  at 
nighttime  in  most  any  room.  Even  tents  can  be  dark- 
ened by  covering  with  blankets,  tarps,  and  what  not,  so 
as  to  exclude  light  and  permit  safe  handling  of  the 
sensitive  film.  Trays  can  be  readily  improvised  by  the 
same  ingenuity  which  is  displayed  by  the  expert 
bivouacker.  In  a  pinch  I  have  used  for  trays  the 
pasteboard  lids  from  packing  boxes,  but  these  must 
be  made  waterproof  by  warming  and  covering  the  in- 
sides  with  melted  paraffin.  Tin  kettles  from  the  cook 
tent  can  be  used  as  wash  vessels.  If  the  camp  outfit 
contains  granite  ware,  these  can  be  employed  instead. 
One  whole  season  with  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  in 
the  field,  I  developed  by  the  old-reliable  lamp  method 
in  a  tent,  over  which  were  thrown  blankets  on  moonlit 
nights.  All  went  as  well  as  could  be  expected  under  such 
circumstances  of  inconvenience,  until  events  took  an 
unexpected  turn  and  my  dark  room  met  its  Waterloo. 
On  the  "Loo"  Ranch  I  spied  a  cave  and  doted  upon  the 
luxury  of  a  real  dark  room.  Consequently,  I  arrayed 
my  simple  but  efficient  developing  outfit  about  my 
elbows,  and  conforming  my  body  to  the  irregularities  of 
wall  and  ceiling  in  the  damp  atmosphere,  began  the 
sweat-box  method  in  a  combined  tropical-Turkish-bath 
environment.  My  prize  roll  of  wild  animal  views  was 
coming  out  nicely,  when  some  moving  object  above  me 
loosened  an  avalanche  of  loose  dirt.  I  hurried  my 
pictures  to  the  hypo  and  opened  my  lamp  to  recognize 
full  appreciation  of  the  doubtless  friendly  though 
odoriferous  greetings  of  a  member  of  the  weasel  family. 
Posthaste  I  secured  from  the  nearest  supply  depdt  a 
I  184] 


PHOTOGRAPHIC  DEVELOPING  IN  CAMP 

tank  developer,  and  from  it  have  had  no  incentive  to 
institute  divorce  proceedings. 

The  tank  developer  really  solves  all  difficulties  of 
picture  finishing  in  camp.  It  consists  of  a  changing- 
box,  where  the  film  is  rolled  onto  a  spool  with  a  deep- 
red,  celluloid,  light-proof  apron  so  as  to  exclude  the 
light.  It  is  then  safely  transferred  to  a  metal  can  with 
a  tight-fitting  lid,  where  the  developer  is  poured  on  and 
left  for  twenty  minutes.  After  rinsing  three  times  in 
clear  water,  it  can  be  safely  unwound  from  the  spool  in 
subdued  light  and  put  directly  into  the  hypo,  where  it 
is  left  the  usual  length  of  time.  In  using  the  film  pack, 
one  must  transfer  the  film  to  the  tank  in  a  dark  room. 
The  rest  of  the  process  is  conducted  under  the  ordinary 
light  conditions. 

Makeshifts  for  lamps  may  tax  one's  ingenuity,  but 
there  is  hardly  a  problem  that  cannot  be  solved  if  one 
goes  about  it  in  the  right  way.  Small  Stonebridge 
folding  candle-lanterns  can  be  covered  with  red  cloth 
or  paper  and  made  to  serve  as  admirable  dark  room 
lamps.  Holes  may  be  cut  in  any  box  and  covered  with 
red  paper  or  cloth,  and  other  holes  cut  for  ventilation 
and  a  candle  burned  within.  Proper  cloth  and  paper 
should  be  used,  because  the  actinic  effects  of  the  various 
dyes  differ. 

On  a  boating  trip  one  may  rig  up  a  very  efficient 
washing  apparatus  by  putting  one  pail  or  kettle  within 
another,  making  nail  holes  in  the  bottom  of  each.  The 
films  are  put  in  the  smaller  inner  pail,  and  a  cover  large 
enough  to  fit  over  the  larger  pail  is  fastened  on  snugly. 
A  line  lashes  the  contrivance  to  the  rear  of  the  boat  and 
trails  it.  The  object  is  to  allow  the  water  to  reach  the 
[  185] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

films,  but  not  with  such  force  that  it  flattens  them 
against  the  sides.  This  is  done  by  the  water  rushing  in 
through  the  bottom  holes  and  gently  circulating  about 
the  constantly  moving  film.  If  film  is  allowed  to  trail 
unprotected  in  the  water,  there  is  too  much  danger  of 
damage  from  rough  handling  and  from  contact  with 
debris. 

In  drying  the  film,  one  should  protect  it  from  the 
heat  and  from  contact  with  any  object  which  might 
scratch  it.  A  convenient  way  is  to  pin  the  ends  to 
crotches  of  trees,  where  they  will  be  in  the  shade  and  in 
a  draft.  To  prevent  checking  of  the  film,  one  should 
use  an  acid  hypo  and  then  wash  in  cold  water.  Check- 
ing is  supposed  to  be  due  to  heat.  Water  may  be 
cooled  by  the  evaporation  bag,  or  one  can  dip  the  film 
in  spring  or  cold  river  water  a  few  times,  and  then  dry  it. 
Of  course,  it  will  not  be  well  washed,  but  it  will  keep  for 
a  while  and  can  be  later  more  thoroughly  washed  at 
home.  Under  tropical  conditions  cooling  of  the  solu- 
tions is  not  practical,  and  the  films  must  be  put  through 
a  hardening  solution  before  development  to  protect 
the  delicate  film  emulsion.  When  properly  done,  film 
can  be  developed  in  a  temperature  up  to  80  degrees. 
Immerse  the  film  or  plate  for  five  minutes  in  a  bath 
consisting  of  formalin,  five  drops,  and  water,  ten  ounces, 
or  for  fifteen  minutes  in  a  solution  of  alum,  one-half 
ounce,  and  water,  ten  ounces.  After  the  hardening 
bath,  wash  the  film  well  and  put  through  the  regular 
developing  and  fixing  baths. 

Water  should  be  pure  for  photographic  use.  If  much 
debris  is  present,  it  is  well  to  filter  it.  A  simple  ar- 
rangement is  to  hold  a  piece  of  absorbent  cotton  in  the 
I  186] 


PHOTOGRAPHIC  DEVELOPING  IN  CAMP 

cleansed  hand  and  pour  the  water  over  it.  Thus  will  it 
run  through  into  a  clean  receiving  receptacle  below, 
minus  the  dirt  which  is  retained  in  the  cotton. 

Many  so-called  "moonlight"  effects  are  made  in  the 
daytime  with  the  aid  of  a  ray  filter  and  overexposure. 
The  filter  will  bring  into  gorgeous  relief  clouds  which 
to  the  ordinary  eye  were  all  but  invisible.  It  does  more 
than  this — renders  color  values  in  proper  light  value 
in  the  finished  negative.  Special  film  emulsions,  called 
isochromatic  or  orthochromatic,  correct  to  some  degree 
the  film's  incapacity  to  record  color  values.  Some  rays, 
such  as  yellow,  are  slowly  recorded  by  the  ordinary 
film  emulsion ;  while  others,  such  as  blue,  are  overactive. 
Now,  if  all  the  rays  which  come  to  the  emulsion  are 
forced  through  a  yellow  transparent  substance,  the 
blues  are  made  less  active  and  the  yellows  more  active. 
This  process  is  really  a  filtering  of  the  light  rays,  hence 
the  name  "ray  filter".  It  is  really  an  aid  to  the  emul- 
sion, although  it  is  placed  as  an  adjunct  to  the  lens.  A 
ray  filter  or  color-screen  may  be  made  from  a  piece  of 
film  which  is  left  unexposed,  is  developed,  run  through 
the  hypo,  washed,  and  dried.  It  is  then  dipped  into  a 
light  yellow  dye,  or  portions  of  yellow  gelatin  may  be 
placed  between  two  pieces  of  cardboard,  in  which  are 
cut  holes  to  fit  the  size  of  the  lens  board. 

A  mosquito  headnet  can  be  made  from  cheese- 
cloth and  film  as  follows:  Leave  unexposed  two 
sections  of  your  film  roll  and  develop  and  fix  as  usual. 
These  two  sections  will  come  out  of  the  final  hypo  as 
clear  as  transparent  gelatin  and  can  be  sewed  into  a 
headnet  to  act  as  little  windowpanes.  The  rest  of  the 
net  should  be  made  of  cheesecloth.  This  is  superior  to 
[  187] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

the  commonly  recommended  bobbinet,  for  it  keeps  out 
the  smallest  fly  or  mosquito.  Take  a  yard  square  of 
the  cloth  and  in  the  middle  cut  a  hole  the  size  of  the 
hat  crown.  Put  a  draw  string  around  this,  and  it  can 
thus  be  adjusted  to  any  hat  or  head.  Now,  make  a 
yoke  of  tape  fitting  over  the  shoulders  and  across  the 
back  and  the  chest.  The  yoke  corners  have  draw 
strings  which  are  tied  under  the  arms.  Sew  the  cheese- 
cloth to  the  yoke,  and  the  celluloid  window  to  the 
edges  of  the  opening  cut  for  the  window  at  the  proper 
position  before  the  eyes,  and  the  headnet  is  ready 
for  use. 

PHOTO  TROUBLES  IN  HOT  WEATHER 

MOST  vacation  trips  are  taken  in  the  summer  months, 
and  many  of  them  lead  to  places  where  a  high  temper- 
ature prevails  and  photographic  work  is  attended  with 
difficulty  and  many  chances  of  failure.  These  con- 
ditions present  themselves  in  hot  weather  in  the 
United  States,  as  well  as  in  desert  regions  everywhere, 
and  in  the  tropics.  The  immediate  development  of 
travel  pictures,  although  not  always  imperative  if  they 
can  be  sent  home  or  have  reasonably  prompt  at- 
tention, is  nevertheless  advisable,  for  too  many  photo- 
graphs have  been  ruined  by  the  camera  not  working. 
I  know  of  one  tourist  who  made  a  trip  to  Japan  and 
who  found,  on  developing  all  his  exposures  on  his  return, 
that  he  had  not  one  good  negative  because  his  shutter 
had  not  operated — a  mistake  which  developing  en 
route  would  have  obviated.  In  damp  and  tropical 
regions,  as  a  general  rule,  films  do  not  keep  well,  and 
[  188] 


PHOTOGRAPHIC  DEVELOPING  IN  CAMP 

they  should  be  developed  as  soon  as  possible  after  ex- 
posure. 

The  main  obstacle  in  hot  climate  photographic 
finishing  is  that  it  is  difficult  to  get  and  keep  solutions 
cool  enough  to  prevent  melting  of  the  emulsion,  which 
occurs  on  films  at  80  degrees,  and  on  plates  at  90 
degrees.  As  a  result  of  much  effort  to  procure  good 
negatives  under  torrid  conditions,  it  has  been  found 
that  first-class  results  may  be  obtained,  even  if  the 
temperature  of  the  solutions  cannot  be  kept  much 
below  80  degrees  F.  The  process  is  comparatively 
simple,  it  entails  but  little  equipment  in  chemicals, 
and  is  indispensable  for  hot  climate  photography. 

For  a  prolonged  journey,  films  should  be  specially 
secured  from  the  manufacturers,  sealed  in  their  special 
tropical  tin  canisters.  In  a  mountaineering  trip  in 
Glacier  Park  I  had  all  my  films  so  protected,  and  had 
abundant  cause  to  be  thankful,  for  while  the  packs 
were  often  thoroughly  wet,  the  films  were  intact  and 
good  pictures  were  secured.  When  so  encased,  films 
retain  recording  value  for  a  long  time,  but  when  taken 
out,  exposed,  returned  to  the  can  and  sealed  with  ad- 
hesive tape  (which  should  be  found  with  every  outfit), 
they  do  not  keep  well  and  hence  should  be  developed 
as  soon  as  possible. 

The  principle  underlying  the  process  of  development 
at  a  high  temperature  is  to  harden  the  films,  for  we 
cannot  consider  the  cooling  of  the  solution,  this  being 
as  a  rule  impracticable  under  tropical  conditions. 
With  proper  hardening,  films  can  be  developed  in  a 
temperature  up  to  80  degrees  F.  (All  photo  manuals 
[  189  ] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

advise  keeping  the  baths  down  to  65  degrees  F.,  under 
ordinary  conditions,  and  plates  up  to  90  degrees  F.) 

The  hardener  may  be  used  either  before  development 
or  between  the  development  and  fixing  bath,  and  either 
method  must  be  carried  on  in  the  dark  room  unless 
a  tank  method  is  employed. 

Hardening  Before  Development. — Choose  any  one  of 
the  following:  A.  Immerse  for  five  minutes  in  a  bath 
consisting  of  formalin,  five  drops,  and  water,  ten 
ounces.  B.  Immerse  for  fifteen  minutes  in  a  solution 
of  chrome  alum,  one  ounce,  and  water,  twenty  ounces. 
C.  Immerse  for  fifteen  minutes  in  alum,  one-half  ounce, 
and  water,  ten  ounces.  After  any  one  of  these  harden- 
ing baths,  wash  the  negatives  well,  and  then  put  through 
the  regular  developing  and  fixing  processes. 

Hardening  Between  Developing  and  Fixing. — To 
prevent  softening  of  the  film  in  developing,  the  temper- 
ature is  lowered  by  setting  the  container  in  a  dis- 
solving hypo  solution  which  has  a  refrigerant  action. 
Temperature  can  thus  be  reduced  10  degrees  F.  A 
thermometer  is  used  to  control.  The  method  advised 
is  to  use  film  tanks  as  follows:  Three  tank  cups  are 
needed — two  of  the  regular  size  of  your  film,  and  one  the 
next  size  larger.  In  the  large  tank,  put  one  pound  of 
hypo;  set  a  smaller  tank  cup  on  top  of  this,  filled  to  its 
embossed  ring  with  developer  solution  whose  temper- 
ature is  not  higher  than  90  degrees  F.  Now  pour  water 
in  between  the  two  cups  on  the  hypo  and  accelerate  its 
solution  by  stirring.  A  noticeable  cooling  of  the 
solution  results,  which  cools  the  water  in  the  inside 
tank.  Be  careful  not  to  get  hypo  into  the  inner  tank. 

Development  for  the  customary  twenty  minutes  is 
[  190  ] 


TROPHIES  OF  THE  HUNT 

It  would  be  a  shame  to  lose  this  fine  skin.  Every  hunter  should  know  how  to 
treat  these  trophies  so  that  they  can  be  made  up  later  into  beautiful  rugs  to  adorn 
the  den  at  home.  (Above). 

The  indispensable  parka.     (Below). 


PHOTOGRAPHIC  DEVELOPING  IN  CAMP 

not  desirable  with  this  method,  for  the  solutions  would 
then  have  time  to  get  warm  again,  so  use  a  double- 
strength  developer  for  five  minutes.  The  smaller  tank 
is  then  removed  from  the  hypo  solution,  and  the  film, 
previously  removed  to  the  light  celluloid  apron  in  the 
dark  box,  is  placed  in  the  solution  and  repeatedly  in- 
verted during  development. 

The  hardener  is  prepared  during  the  development  of 
the  film  in  one  of  the  small  tanks.  At  once,  after  the 
removal  of  the  small  tank  from  the  large  hypo  tank, 
take  the  other  small  tank  and  put  in  the  hypo  cooling 
solution.  Fill  it  with  water  to  the  embossed  ring  and 
put  in  one-half  ounce  powdered  alum  (chrome)  and 
one-half  ounce  sodium  bisulphite  and  stir  the  hypo 
again;  this  will  cool  the  bisulphite  and  alum  solution 
down  below  84  degree  F.  Remove  this  tank  and  fill 
the  large  tank  with  water  up  to  sixteen  ounces.  The 
hardener  is  used  after  development.  Remove  the 
spool  quickly,  drain  off  the  developer,  and  place  it  at 
once  in  the  cup  of  bisulphite  and  alum  solution,  agitat- 
ing it  for  a  minute,  and  then  take  it  out  and  without 
draining  place  it  in  the  hypo  fixer.  The  film,  so  treated, 
can  then  be  safely  washed  in  water  as  hot  as  100  de- 
grees F.,  if  that  be  imperative. 

Eradicating  the  hypo  used  for  fixing  commonly  means 
prolonged  washing  in  water,  but  in  some  places  suffi- 
cient water  is  not  available,  and  in  hot-climate  negative- 
making  we  should  limit  the  amount  of  hot  water  reach- 
ing the  film;  hence,  chemical  neutralization  of  the  hypo 
is  used,  and  by  it  you  can  have  the  negative  ready  for 
drying  three  minutes  after  fixing.  Make  up  freshly  a 
gallon  of  very  weak  solution  of  potassium  permanganate 

18 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

by  adding  crystals  to  the  water  to  produce  a  light  pink 
color.  A  stronger  solution  acts  as  a  reducer.  The 
permanganate  can  also  be  secured  in  tiny  tabloids,  one 
of  which  is  sufficient  for  a  gallon  of  water.  To  use, 
place  some  of  the  solution  in  a  shallow  tray  and  wash 
the  negative  in  it.  As  soon  as  the  pink  color  is  gone, 
pour  out  and  use  a  fresh  solution,  repeating  until  the 
pink  color  remains  unchanged. 

Quick  drying  of  the  negative  is  desirable  when  your 
finishing  is  done  under  difficulties  of  great  humidity  or 
in  a  very  dusty  atmosphere.  As  is  well  known,  ordinary 
alcohol  extracts  water,  but  denatured  spirit  should  not 
be  used,  as  it  contains  mineral  naphtha,  which  leaves  a 
white  scum  on  the  negative  after  drying.  Place  the 
negative  in  a  strong  grain  alcohol  solution  and  then  re- 
move it  and  stand  it  up  to  dry.  Another  method  is  to 
leave  the  negative  for  ten  minutes  in  formalin,  one 
teaspoonful  to  one  ounce  of  water,  then  remove  it  to 
nearly  boiling  water,  changed  five  or  six  times,  and  then 
dry  before  a  fire. 

The  above  methods  are  a  distinct  departure  from  the 
common  dark-room  way,  but  they  will  be  found  helpful 
to  those  who  record  experiences  pictorially  under 
extreme  conditions. 


CHAPTER  XX 

Leather  Working  for  the  Outdoor  Man 

Tanning  and  Curing  Methods. — Leather  is  an  in- 
teresting bit  of  handicraft,  and  one  can  make  many 
useful  articles  for  himself  from  the  product  he  has 
prepared  as  well  as  attain  skill  in  repair  work  which 
is  a  helpful  vocation  in  any  home. 

In  most  cases  we  must  rule  out  the  procuring  of  hides 
as  the  profits  of  hunting  or  trapping,  but  at  most  any 
meat  market  one  can  get  at  a  nominal  price  cowhides 
from  beeves  which  are  to  be  used  as  our  food  supply. 
Occasionally  also  one  may  get  from  other  sources  the 
skins  of  some  of  the  smaller  animals  which  he  can  tan 
with  the  fur  on. 

In  curing  a  fresh,  or  as  it  is  called  a  "green,"  hide,  we 
must  either  dry  it  perfectly  by  stretching  and  tacking 
on  to  the  side  wall  of  a  barn  or  shed  out  in  the  drying 
air,  or  by  rubbing  common  salt  into  it  well  so  as  to 
take  up  all  the  moisture,  for  otherwise  the  hide  would 
decay.  Curing  is  mainly  employed  to  temporarily 
preserve  the  skins  until  it  is  convenient  to  tan  them. 

In  transforming  green  animal  hides  into  leather, 
certain  chemicals  are  employed  to  combine  with  the 
fibers  of  the  skin  in  such  a  way  as  to  keep  them  from 
decaying  or  to  make  them  soft,  pliable,  and  of  good 
durability.  As  the  hide  comes  from  the  butcher  one 
side  is  covered  with  hair  and  the  other  side  with  some 
fat  and  shreds  of  muscle.  To  prepare  it  for  the  tanning 

[  193  J 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

solution,  the  hair  must  be  removed  and  the  flesh  side 
scraped  well  to  remove  every  bit  of  flesh  down  to  the 
skin  itself. 

A  cured  hide  must  be  soaked  in  warm  water  for 
twenty-four  hours,  or  until  it  is  just  as  soft  as  a  green 
hide.  First,  it  is  "fleshed"  by  stretching  it  upon  a  wall 
and  peeling  off  the  flesh  parts  with  a  knife,  care  being 
taken  not  to  cut  through  the  hide  at  any  place.  Then  if 
the  hair  is  to  be  removed,  the  skin,  with  the  hair  side  up, 
is  thrown  over  a  smooth  peeled  log  or  rounded  board  and 
one  end  is  tacked  down.  Seating  yourself  at  one  end, 
you  take  a  flat  piece  of  metal  with  a  square,  such  as  a 
flat  file  with  one  square  edge  filed  smooth,  and  pressing 
it  down  hard  on  hair  and  hide  and  pushing  it  from  you, 
peel  off  the  hair  and  thin  skin  covering  in  which  the 
hair  grows.  This  removes  the  surface  of  hair,  the  outer 
skin  with  its  little  grains,  and  hence  this  step  in  the 
preparation  of  the  hide  for  tanning  is  called  "graining." 
The  fleshed  and  grained  hide  is  now  ready  for  the 
tanning  solution.  A  tight,  wooden  candy  bucket  or 
an  old  barrel  is  the  best  receptacle  for  the  solutions. 

Numerous  successful  tanning  receipts  are  in  use, 
some  very  simple  and  others  requiring  a  number  of 
chemicals  to  be  put  up  by  the  druggist.  We  will  con- 
sider only  the  simpler  ones,  with  the  mention  of  one 
more  complicated,  because  of  its  excellence. 

Oil  Tan  Leather  Solution. — Shave  a  bar  of  common 
yellow  laundry  soap  into  a  pail  of  hot  water  and  dis- 
solve. Now  put  in  the  fleshed  and  grained  hide  and 
keep  it  there  until  you  can  squeeze  water  through  it, 
which  simple  test  shows  that  tanning  is  complete. 
Then  remove  it  and  wring  it  out  as  dry  as  you  can  and 
[  194  ] 


LEATHER  WORKING  FOR  THE  OUTDOOR  MAN 

hang  in  the  sun  to  dry.  It  can  then  be  oiled  with  neats- 
foot  oil  or  old  butter.  Allow  it  to  hang  out  for  two 
days  more,  and  then  with  a  brush  and  warm  soapsuds 
wash  out  all  the  oil  that  you  can.  Wring  out  and  hang 
up  to  dry.  Now  it  is  pulled  and  rubbed  while  drying 
to  break  up  the  fibers,  for  if  this  is  not  done  it  will  dry 
hard.  The  rubbing  is  hard  work,  but  you  should  be 
persistent,  and  you  will  be  able  to  get  the  article  as  soft 
as  a  chamois  skin. 

This  method  produces  a  leather  similar  to  the  Indian 
tanned  buckskin.  If  you  do  not  like  the  oil  in  the 
leather,  you  can  smoke  it,  thus:  Build  a  small  wig- 
wam out  of  bark,  hang  the  skin  up  in  it  after  the  first 
drying,  and  build  a  smudge  or  smoke  of  hardwood, 
being  careful  not  to  get  too  much  heat. 

Chrome  Tan  Method. — This  furnishes  the  lightest, 
most  durable,  and  waterproof  leather  or  fur  tan  that 
we  have,  and  it  is  a  leather  suitable  to  most  all  purposes, 
such  as  the  making  of  moccasins,  mittens,  shoe  laces, 
etc.  Since  the  formula  calls  for  a  rather  difficult  list  of 
chemicals  it  is  advisable  to  have  your  druggist  put  up 
a  sufficient  amount  so  it  can  be  diluted,  as  follows: 

Chrome  alum  crystals,  z>£  pounds. 
Sodium  carbonate  crystals,  %  pound. 
Copperas  crystals,  #  ounce. 
Common  salt,  %  pound. 

When  you  get  this  home,  mix  it  in  a  wooden  bucket 
with  one  gallon  of  water.  Now,  when  you  wish  to 
tan  a  hide,  take  one  part  of  the  above  stock  solution 
and  twenty  parts  of  water  and  immerse  the  green  hide 
in  it  for  half  a  day.  Then  wring  out,  and  while  it  is 
drying,  work  between  the  hands  so  it  won't  dry  hard. 

[  195  1 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

In  tanning  furs,  we  must  flesh  the  hide  as  above 
directed,  but  omit  the  graining  process  which  would 
remove  the  hair.  Furs  for  rugs  or  rabbit  skin  robes  are 
prepared  in  this  way. 

Fur  Tan  Paste. — Take  of  common  salt,  one-fourth 
pound;  alum,  powdered,  one-fourth  pound;  borax, 
one  ounce. 

Add  just  enough  hot  water  to  melt  the  above,  and 
then  when  cool  add  enough  sawdust  or  corn  meal  to 
make  a  thick  paste.  Spread  this  thickly  on  the  fleshed 
side  of  the  hide.  Fold  the  skins  over  to  the  middle 
where  they  meet,  then  roll  from  the  head  end  toward 
the  tail  end  into  a  compact  roll.  Put  in  a  cool  place 
for  a  week,  now  and  then  unrolling  and  sprinkling  to 
keep  it  wet.  Then  scrape  off  the  tan  paste.  If  it  is  a 
thick  skin — reapply  another  coat  of  paste,  roll  up,  and 
leave  for  another  week.  Now  scrape  off  the  paste, 
clean  and  rub  between  the  hands  while  it  is  drying  to 
make  it  soft.  This  method  does  not  waterproof  the 
leather,  so  keep  it  in  a  dry  place. 

Some  Uses  of  Leather  by  the  Camper. — The  leather 
prepared  according  to  the  directions  given  above  can 
be  used  to  make  camp  equipment  and  in  repair  work 
of  various  kinds. 

For  sewing  materials  one  needs  a  sharp  knife,  an  awl, 
harness  needles,  harness  or  shoe  thread,  beeswax,  and 
a  clamp  or  vise.  The  best  sewing  awl  is  a  lock-stitch 
awl.  With  this  simple  device  you  can  do  all  kinds  of 
sewing,  and  it  takes  the  place  of  the  awl  and  needle, 
and  its  special  thread  is  the  best  general  purpose 
sewing  thread  one  can  secure.  It  makes  stitches  like 
[  196] 


LEATHER  WORKING  FOR  THE  OUTDOOR  MAN 

the  lock-stitch  machines  and  is  composed  of  an  awl 
with  needle  eye  through  which  the  waxed  thread  is 
carried  through  the  leather,  a  return  loop  is  formed, 
another  thread  is  carried  through  the  loop,  then  both 
are  drawn  tight,  and  the  next  stitch  spaced  and  done  as 
above. 

In  strap  mending  harness  traces,  lines,  shoe  soles, 
etc.,  it  is  well  to  cut  a  "channel"  with  the  knifepoint 
and  enlarge  the  same  by  running  a  pointed  stick  along 
to  open  the  shallow  furrow.  In  this  channel  lies  the 
stitching,  and  it  is  thus  protected  from  wear  after  the 
channel  is  covered  by  smoothing  down  the  lifted  lip 
of  the  leather  with  the  smooth  awl  handle. 

The  pieces  of  leather  must  be  held  in  rigid  position 
by  a  clamp  or  vise  of  some  sort.  Two  boards  may  be 
nailed  together  and  the  leather  put  between,  allowing 
a  portion  to  protrude  so  that  the  stitching  can  be  done 
freely. 

In  sewing  a  half-sole  on  a  shoe,  the  oak  tan  leather 
piece  must  be  soaked  for  a  day  to  make  it  pliable  so  it 
will  conform  to  the  shape  of  the  soles,  then  it  is  tacked 
on  over  the  sole  and  trimmed  with  a  very  sharp  knife 
to  the  proper  shape  around  the  welt.  A  shallow  channel 
is  next  made  about  one-eighth  of  an  inch  in  from  the 
edge  and  the  lock-stitch  employed.  The  lap  of  the 
channel  is  next  smoothed  down,  the  end  next  the  heel 
nailed  down,  and  the  job  is  done.  Heels  are  nailed  on 
piece  by  piece,  trimmed  nicely  with  a  sharp  knife, 
smoothed  with  sandpaper,  and  then  blackened. 

To  avoid  mistakes,  it  is  safest  to  draw  a  pattern  out 
of  heavy  paper  of  the  article  you  want  to  make,  then 
[  197] 


TRAIL  CRAFT 

cut  it  out  and  use  it  to  plan  the  leather  before  it 
is  cut. 

How  to  Make  Your  Own  Mittens. — Since  the  sizes  of 
the  hands  differ  so  much  in  different  individuals,  one 
should  place  the  hands,  fingers  together,  on  a  piece  of 
paper,  and  then  draw  an  outline  of  the  hand  and  allow 
one-half  to  three-quarters  of  an  inch  extra  all  around. 
Fig.  2.  Then  round  out  with  a  pencil  the  ends  so  that 
they  are  symmetrical,  and  then  square  the  wrist  ends 
with  the  exception  of  the  thumb  portion,  A,  D,  B,  F. 
Allow  a  flap  one-fifth  the  length  of  one  palm  which  will 
extend  as  the  back  of  the  thumb  and  be  in  width  not 
quite  a  half  of  the  distance  across  the  end,  A,  F.  Now 
fold  at  the  line  C-C,  and  sew  the  edge  E-E  together.  The 
thumb  back  is  a  separate  piece,  Fig.  3,  and  is  half  as 
wide  as  the  palm  piece  and  three-fourths  as  long. 
The  corners  G-G  and  H-B  are  sewed,  so  that  D-D 
approximate.  The  flap  D,  of  course,  folds  downward 
and  is  the  inside  of  the  thumb.  For  the  left  hand,  fold 
the  thumb  flap  the  other  way,  just  large  enough  so  that 
in  cold  weather  you  can  first  put  on  a  pair  of  woollen 
mittens  or  worsted  gloves  and  then  draw  the  leather 
mittens  over.  This  serves  as  a  wind  and  cold  break  and 
takes  the  hard  wear.  It  is  the  best  hand-warming 
combination  there  is. 

Axe  Sheath. — The  hiker's  axe  should  be  the  light 
weight  hunter's  style  with  a  fairly  long  handle.  An 
expert  woodsman  prides  himself  on  the  keen  edge  he 
keeps  on  the  axe,  and  in  use  he  carefully  protects  it 
from  contact  with  stones  and  from  rust.  Unprotected, 
it  may  cause  disaster  by  cutting  its  owner  or  valuable 
portions  of  the  pack,  hence  it  is  well  to  carry  it  in  a 
[  198  ] 


LEATHER  WORKING  FOR  THE  OUTDOOR  MAN 

special  sheath  or  scabbard  which  has  a  belt  loop.  It 
should  be  made  roomy  enough  so  that  the  axe  will 
not  be  too  hard  to  remove  for  use. 

Measure  your  axe  outline  on  rough  paper,  marking 
the  position  of  the  handle  also.  Place  this  on  a  piece  of 
leather  and  cut.  Allow  a  half-inch  extra  all  round  and 
provide  extra  for  the  flap,  Fig.  4,  on  which  a  short  strap 
is  sewed  to  be  later  fastened  to  the  buckle  on  the  front — 
as  H.  In  the  middle  of  the  back,  two  parallel  cuts,  I-K, 
are  made  in  length  to  correspond  to  the  width  of  your 
belt,  and  in  width  about  a  half-inch.  By  pulling 
this  loop  away  slightly,  there  is  sufficient  room  for  the 
belt  to  slip  through.  Sew  the  edges  A-E  to  A-D,  and 
B-F  to  B-G  together,  leaving  the  top  unstitched,  folds 
being  at  E-F  and  A-B.  This  opening  is  left  for  the 
handle  of  the  axe  to  slip  through  and  extend  below  A-C. 

A  sling  strap  with  adjusting  buckle  may  be  attached 
to  the  blade  and  helve  ends  of  the  sheath  at  E  and  F, 
should  one  not  care  to  carry  the  axe  in  the  belt. 

Sheath  for  Knife,  Fork,  and  Spoon. — In  making  a 
sheath  for  knife,  fork,  and  spoon,  roll  them  together  in 
a  compact  bundle,  then  with  rough  paper  measure 
out  the  proper  size  of  the  sheath.  Fig.  5.  Make  it 
plenty  long  so  as  to  nearly  cover  the  knife  handle  and 
the  articles  will  not  easily  slip  out.  Before  sewing, 
attach  a  belt  loop  at  A  and  turn  over  the  back  and 
attach  one  end  at  B;  fold  along  the  line  C-C  and  stitch 
around  the  edge  leaving  C-D  open.  It  is  now  ready 
for  use. 

Moccasins. — The  ideal  foot  covering  for  woods  wear 
is  the  moccasin,  it  being  light  in  weight,  soft  on  the 
feet,  warm,  and  noiseless.  If  on  a  hike,  heavy-soled 

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shoes  are  preferred;  one  appreciates  the  comfort  of 
the  soft  moccasins  on  the  feet  when  in  camp.  They 
weigh  so  little  and  are  so  easy  on  the  feet  that  one 
pair  should  be  in  each  individual  equipment.  ^ 

Moccasins  are  easily  made  if  one  works  methodically. 
Because  sizes  here  play  an  important  part,  you  should 
make  the  pattern  first  from  heavy  paper  or  cloth. 
Put  your  feet  down  on  the  paper  and  draw  the  outline. 
This  gives  you  the  length  and  width.  Make  it  plenty 
large  enough,  for  the  leather  shrinks  upon  drying  and  a 
little  extra  room  is  needed  to  make  up  for  this.  Allow 
about  an  inch  surplus  all  around  the  foot,  then  trim 
the  edge  to  the  pattern  as  shown  for  the  sole.  Fig.  6. 
The  patterning  of  the  toe  should  be  carefully  done  and 
exactly  alike  on  both  sides.  The  vamp,  which  rests  on 
the  top  of  the  foot,  should  be  wide  enough  to  draw  the 
side  neatly  into  shape  and  plenty  long  enough  to  serve 
as  a  tongue  also.  It  is  easier  to  make  the  vamp  quite 
large  and  thus  throw  the  seam  lower  on  the  toe  and 
sides,  then  sew  the  vamp  into  place.  Now  cut  the 
pattern  from  the  leather  which  has  been  well  soaked 
in  water. 

First  fold  A-B  and  C-D  along  the  line  E-F,  then 
sew  A-H  to  B-G  and  E-H  to  E-G.  This  finishes  the 
heel.  From  A  to  C  is  one-half  inch  longer  than  the 
foot,  and  when  A-B  are  brought  up  to  the  sides  of  the 
foot  the  edge  is  one-half  inch  below  the  ankles.  Sew 
up  C-D  folded  at  F;  stitch  in  a  puckering  string  from 
I  and  to  K  and  draw  up  tight  at  I-K.  The  vamps 
should  fit  this  opening,  the  tip  L  fitting  in  at  F.  Sew 
the  vamp  sides  L-M  to  the  sole  piece  F-I  and  L-N  to 
F-K.  The  ankle  piece  is  to  fit  K  to  K  and  I  to  I  and 
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MOCCASIN  MAKING. 


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TRAIL  CRAFT 

A  to  F.  This  adjusts  itself  easily  to  the  shape  of  the 
foot. 

Put  in  holes  for  eyelets  in  the  top  or  anklet,  some 
thin  strips  of  leather  for  laces,  and  the  moccasin  is 
ready  to  dry  and  use.  As  we  have  no  rights  or  lefts 
one  may  mark  one  right  and  one  left,  and  while  drying 
wear  these  on  corresponding  feet  to  accustom  the  wet 
leather  to  the  new  shape. 

Rabbit  Skin  Blankets. — One  should  tan  a  number  of 
rabbit  or  cat  skins  and  cut  them  into  strips  one-half 
inch  wide  and  in  a  circle  around  the  edge  of  the  skin, 
so  that  when  you  have  finished  the  skin  is  in  one  strip. 
Now  cut  the  strips  in  lengths  proper  for  the  width  and 
length  of  an  ordinary  small  bedquilt.  Next  attach 
one  end  to  a  solid  support  with  a  tack,  and  twist  the 
other  end  so  that  the  leather  side  is  rolled  in  and  the 
furry  side  out. 

These  strips  are  used  to  weave  the  blanket,  and  you 
should  make  a  frame  the  size  of  the  blanket  and  then 
tack  all  the  long,  furry  strips  to  the  frame  ends  so  that 
they  are  parallel.  Now,  one  end  of  the  cross  strips  is 
tacked  on  one  frame  side  and  woven  under  one  long 
strip  and  over  the  next,  then  under  the  third  one  and 
so  on.  Repeat  this  with  the  remainder  of  the  short 
strips.  It  is  a  tedious  job  and  requires  a  number  of 
skins  to  furnish  the  strips,  but  when  finished  you  have 
an  ideal  cold  weather  camp  blanket. 


